The spokesperson for former Education Minister Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, Yaw Opoku Mensah, has accused the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service (GES) of engaging in a "turf war" that is affecting the implementation of the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) programme. According to Mr Opoku Mensah, this disagreement is over the admission numbers of about 60,000 students, resulting in delays in the release of funds to schools. This situation is creating financial difficulties for school authorities.
Mr Opoku Mensah stated that the government had not released funds to schools to support the current Form Two students, forcing some schools to operate on credit. He alleged that there is a worrying development with the implementation of Free SHS, where the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service are fighting over the admission numbers, which they seem unable to resolve. This has resulted in the non-release of funds for smooth administration and school life.
The spokesperson further alleged that some items previously supplied to students free of charge, including uniforms and housedresses, were no longer being provided by some schools. Instead, some schools are selling these items to students. Mr Opoku Mensah claimed that items that were supplied free are not being sold to students by some schools, but this is happening in other schools.
Mr Opoku Mensah also alleged that some heads of schools had been threatened with dismissal if they spoke publicly about the situation. He warned that if the alleged impasse between the Ministry and GES is not resolved, it could have serious consequences for the continued operation of some schools. The situation may lead to the closure of schools in the coming days as a result of this impasse.
The spokesperson described reports of schools selling items that were previously provided free of charge as a "silent protest" over the alleged funding challenges. Mr Opoku Mensah added that the development and report of sales is a silent protest from schools. This implies that schools are struggling to cope with the financial difficulties.
According to reports, the Ghana Education Service has ordered SHS heads to stop unauthorised charges and warned of sanctions. The GES has also directed Senior High Schools not to turn away students over trunks and chop boxes. These directives are aimed at addressing the challenges faced by schools in implementing the Free SHS programme.
The Free SHS programme has been a flagship policy of the government, aimed at increasing access to education for Ghanaian students. However, the programme has faced several challenges, including funding and implementation issues. The allegations of a "turf war" between the Ministry of Education and the GES have raised concerns about the future of the programme.
Key points
- The Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service are allegedly engaged in a "turf war" over the admission numbers of about 60,000 students.
- The disagreement has resulted in delays in the release of funds to schools, creating financial difficulties for school authorities.
- The situation may lead to the closure of schools if the impasse between the Ministry and GES is not resolved.
