The Omanhene of Assin Owirenkyi Traditional Area in the Central Region, Ehunabobrim Prah Agyensaim has appealed to Ghanaians to support the Free Senior High School policy, by contributing financially to sustain it.
He said if about one million Ghanaians voluntarily contribute GH¢4,000, which is the cost of educating one student through the three year SHS education, the challenges it is facing would be reduced.
Speaking at the launch of a fund named,’ Free Senior High School Must Succeed Fund’ to support the policy, Ehunabobrim Agyensaim said the policy is a laudable one and all Ghanaians must support it.
Before the 2016 elections, President Akufo-Addo, who was the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) promised to make Senior High Education free when he becomes President. After he won the election and was sworn in as President, he introduced the free SHS policy, which is in its second year.
The decision was taken due to the poverty levels of parents of some students at the SHS and the high illiteracy rate in the country. Though it is a laudable policy, it is not without challenges.
To ensure that solutions are found to the problems associated with its implementation, the Omanhene of Owirenkyi Traditional Area, Ehunabobrim Prah Agyensaim has launched a fund, known as ‘Free Senior High School Must Succeed Fund’ to enable Ghanaians contribute to the success of the policy. He said with education, the country can develop rapidly and urged all Ghanaians to help sustain the laudable initiative.
Ehunabobrim Prah Agyensaim touched on some countries that have rallied their citizens to undertake projects that are of great economic benefit to them.
He said, if the country sustains the policy, in ten years most of the youth will be educated to contribute immensely to the development of the country.
The Omanhene said lawyers are preparing a Trust Deed for the fund, adding that the Catholic Archbishop of Cape Coast, Most Rev. Charles Gabriel Palmer-Buckle and the National Chief Imam, Dr. Sheikh Osumanu Nuhu Sharubutu will be the trustees to implement the obligations under the Deed.