Ministry of Education not sure how funding for ‘Free SHS’ will be raised

• Posted on March 3, 2014
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

After President John Dramani Mahama announced that secondary education will be progressively free from the 2015/2016 academic year, the debate on the subject has turned to where funding for the policy will come from.

President Mahama announced an initial subvention of GH¢71 million for day students.

“Under the guidance of this proposed road map, we can anticipate that fees for day students will be abolished at an estimated cost of GH¢71 million in the 2015/2016 academic year,” President Mahama mentioned in Parliament on Tuesday, February 25.

“Other reliefs in respect of boarding student would be announced when the road map is published,” he indicated.

But the Minister of Education, Professor Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang, has told TV3 that she is not sure where funding will come from though government will go ahead with implementation of the decision.

“When you decide something is important enough, then you have to find the money for it,” she told TV3’s Daniel Lartey.

“I am not sure in practical ways how that funding is going to be raised. But first you need to sell the idea then you cost it and then you move on to find the money.”

Decision-makers confused

Educationist Anis Haffar fears the promises over education by politicians are “a bit too much”.

“I think the people who are supposed to make these decisions are themselves confused,” Mr Haffar said.

He was of the view that the decision-makers need to come to terms with what the 21st century education requirements are.

“It is not all about sitting behind the desk. Where is the qualitative component that will make us confident that after a young Ghanaian boy or girl has left our institutions, they are functional for themselves and their communities?”

-tv3