Dr Yaw Adutwum says Ken Ofori Atta's comment on allowing some parents who can afford to pay for free SHS is his opinion not government policy

Free SHS: Ofori-Atta's opinion not government policy - Adutwum

Graphic.com.gh Politics Jul - 25 - 2018 , 17:30

The Ministry of Education has reacted to a suggestion by Ken Ofori Atta that persons who can afford to pay fees for the education of their wards be excluded from the government's Free Senior High School (SHS) Programme.

According to the Deputy Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, spoke for himself as a parent and that, that does not represent the government’s position on the policy.

He insisted what Mr Ofori-Atta said is not a policy statement, thus, his personal opinion.

The government is facing some challenges in the financing of the flagship free SHS education programme and in a television interview on Citi TV Monday, Mr Ofori Atta suggested that parents who can afford should be allowed to pay for the fees of their wards.

But reacting in a radio interview with Accra based Class FM, Dr Yaw Adutwum, the Deputy Minister of Education said, “For making such a statement I will rather applaud him for making a statement that said we cherish your opinions, bring your ideas.”

Asked whether government will not look at the substance of the idea going forward and review the free SHS policy, Dr Yaw Adutwum said: “We are talking about some people should pay, others should not, and there is a history in this country, over 60 years of history where secondary education I think the feeding component was free.”