FSHS Challenges: Adopt comprehensive approach not ‘tot-tot’ – Apaak to Adutwum

The deputy ranking member on Education Committee in Parliament, Dr. Clement Apaak has stated that the government must adopt a comprehensive approach in dealing with the challenges with Free Senior High School (FSHS) policy.

Education Minister, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, has firmly rejected calls for the review of the Free SHS policy during an interview on the Citi Breakfast Show on Tuesday, January 9, 2024.

While acknowledging that the policy has faced criticism, Dr. Adutwum emphasized that it requires improvements in specific areas rather than a complete review.

Commenting on the Ministers statement, the Bulisa South lawmaker stated that all stakeholders in the education sector have called for a review of the FSHS but the government is adamant.

“Improve what exactly? The challenges exposed by seven years of implementing the FSHS policy are numerous and complex. To deal with these challenges exhaustively requires a review. What is this warped approach of improving aspects of a challenged policy? We are dealing with the future of our nation and ought to adopt a comprehensive approach, not ‘tot-tot’.

“It’s a review, in other words, a formal assessment that will give us pointers on what needs to be improved. All stakeholders but the Minister for Education and other government appointees have called for a review. Even external partners such as the IMF have called for a review of the policy,” Dr. Apaak stated.

He continued: “In any case, is it not standard practice to review programmes and policies from time  to time? The position the Minister and other government officials have taken is purely political. It’s not supported by literature on policy implementation or best practices.”

The deputy ranking member further stated that the government is opposed to the call for a review of the FSHS because former President John Mahama was the first to have made the call.

“The only reason why the Minister and NPP government appointees are averse to the legitimate and justified call for a review of the policy is because our Flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama, was the first to make the call.

“Well, the coming NDC government, under the leadership of John Dramani Mahama, will do the needful as called for by stakeholders, that is, review the policy, with the intent to improve it holistically. As announced by the NDC Flagbearer, a national stakeholders forum will be called to assess the policy and to make recommendations for improvements. This is undoubtedly the way to go.

“By the way, the Minister for Education owes Ghanaians an apology for defining review as meaning cancel. As an education Minister, he ought to have known better. Review doesn’t mean cancel,” Dr. Apaak stated.

In a related education news,

The deputy ranking member on the Education Committee in Parliament, Dr. Clement Apaak has schooled Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and the Minister for Education, Yaw Adutwum on the meaning of review.

This comes on the back of the Vice President, the Minister for Education and communicators of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) saying the National Democratic Congress calls for a review of the Free Senior High School (FSHS) means canceling the policy.

Speaking at the 63rd anniversary of the Ghana Muslim Mission in Kumasi recently, Dr. Osei Yaw Adutwum stated that any plan to cancel will be resisted because the policy has been successful.

“President Akufo-Addo and his Vice, brought Free SHS and they have provided the needed support to make it a success and bring relief to parents.

If anyone says they will review Free SHS it means one thing. That person wants to cancel it and we won’t allow that,” he stated.

Commenting on the Minister’s statement, the Builsa South lawmaker stated that review cannot mean cancellation.

“It’s only PhD holders in NPP who define REVIEW as meaning CANCEL. We ought to question how they obtained their doctoral degrees, and must consider petitioning the institutions which awarded them doctoral degrees.

“For the avoidance of doubt, REVIEW means a formal assessment of something with the intention of instituting change if necessary. On the other hand, CANCEL is to decide that an organised event will not happen, or to stop services that you no longer want,” Dr. Apaak stated.

He continued: “How could persons purporting to have earned the highest degree, PhD, say REVIEW means CANCEL. Ghanaians have no appetite for lies this year.”

Source: Today.com.gh