The governing NPP has consistently rejected calls for a review of the free SHS programme introduced in 2017.

Speaking at the Ghana National Association of Private Schools week launch under the theme, “2024 Elections: The Private Education Manifesto” on Wednesday, Mr. Mahama criticized the NPP government for promising to review and rationalize the policy in a document submitted to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) yet presenting a different narrative to Ghanaians.

Mahama pointed out the contradiction in the NPP government’s stance, highlighting that they promised to review and rationalize the policy in a document submitted to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

He emphasized that the NPP presented a different narrative to Ghanaians than what was outlined in their agreement with the IMF.

“There’s hypocrisy in this thing about review. If you look at the IMF agreement that this government has signed with IMF, under point 47 page 76. This Akufo-Addo-Bawumia government signed an agreement with the IMF in January 2024. And they say that in the educational sector, we will review and rationalize the free SHS. These are their words, not my words.”

“And so when you hear all this politics about my understanding of the review means to abolish, in their own words they are using review. Sometimes you must watch our politics.  I encourage all of you to get the Eduwatch report and read it, and it’s about, especially the free SHS. It says that between 2021 to date, over 196,000 children did not take up their place in the free SHS. Even though they were posted and qualified, they didn’t go. We need to find out why they didn’t go.

“The report says that the total amount of money the government has spent on free SHS, comes to about 5.8 billion Cedis. The proportion of the parents is about 77% to the government’s share of about 23%. That is why we must do a review.”