President Akufo-Addo’s Advice To SHS Final Year Students

PRESIDENT AKUFO-ADDO’S ADMONITION TO FINAL YEAR STUDENTS OF SHS TO EXCEL IN THEIR FINAL WASSCE

In September 2017, Ghana took a giant step in its socio-economic strides by introducing one of the most outstanding developmental interventions in the country’s history.

At the West Africa Senior High School in Accra, the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, launched historic Ghana’s flagship educational program, the Free Senior High School.

A dream that had been on his political party’s agenda for a very long time. So far, there has not been any disagreement on its introduction.

Perhaps the only criticism is on its mode of implementation which of course has room for corrections.

The free SHS obviously has opened doors of opportunity to many young ones who would not have had such huge privilege of stepping onto a secondary or high school compound.

At the same time, it brought up huge relief to many parents who would not have seen their children being educated at that level, chiefly due to financial constraints.

Today, the basic and important right of the Ghanaian child has not only been established but, it has been preserved as a result of the nation’s free SHS policy.

They are also being prepared to favourably compete in the global scene after their education.

The President at the launch of the programme said he wants every Ghanaian child to attend school not just for what they learn in books but for the life experience that they will gain.

A colossal number of about 1.2 million children are benefiting from the free SHS program.

It obviously comes with attendants matters such as increased logistics and facilities.

It is noted that more than 8,000 teachers have gained employment to teach at the SHS level while 622 six-unit classroom blocks have been made available for use by SHS students across the country.

At the end of this academic year, the first batch would be put to test to determine the viability and the effectiveness of the program.

They would be sitting for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination, WASSCE.

These students have no option than to prove themselves worthy of spending huge national resources on them.

President Akufo-Addo in a political tone noted that “if the students excelled in their examination, they would put the “naysayers” of the programme to shame.”

The free SHS has enhanced Ghana’s image in the world of education.

The nation once again has been seen as the trailblazer in many respects for the rest of the African continent.

With this, the country joins countries like Rwanda, Uganda, and Namibia that already provide free education at the secondary level to lead the way to bring to fruition the goal of the African Union which is to put every African child in school by the year 2020.

Ghana’s bold decision is, therefore, a good omen for the rest of the continent.

Most countries around the globe that are a step away from Africa and Ghana for that matter made education, their paramount priority.

Indeed, the free compulsory secondary school program that Ghana has embarked upon is really an idea whose time has come.

For sure the policy is a great way of ensuring the growth of the country and Africa as a whole.

This is because Africa and Ghana for that matter, do not only have the largest number of young people but also it is the poorest in the world despite the huge natural and human resources.

At the moment, Ghana ranks 20th within the 52 African countries by way of literacy rate with 57.9 per cent.

It is hoped that this policy by the government could improve the situation.

The free SHS programme has come to stay but with some attendant challenges paramount among being sustainability, financial matters and the congestion, which resulted in the double-track system.

“The Double-track calendar is an intervention that allows schools to accommodate more students within the same facility and is often motivated by its potential to improve overcrowding as well as to save costs relative to new school construction in the short term.”

It is our prayer that the students will heed to President Akufo Addo’s advice and perform excellently in their examinations.

Authored by Nana Sifa Twum, a Media Consultant