The Dean of the School of Performing Arts at the University of Ghana, Prof. Kofi Agyekum aka Opanin Agyekum has slammed parents who are complaining about little things they need to buy for their children who’re students enjoying the Free SHS policy as boarders.
According to him, there should be no fuss by parents when they need to buy certain critical items listed in their wards prospectus for their use in school.
Some parents have complained about they having to incur some cost by purchasing certain personal effects for their children in boarding houses, when they’re supposed to enjoy Free SHS.
The likes of the Deputy National Communictions Officer of the opposition NDC party, Fred Agbenyo has also questioned how ‘free’ the Free SHS programme is, when parents will still have to incur some cost.
He claimed parents of students in some schools in the Volta Region, will have to find monies to “buy one metal trunk. You’ll buy one chop box. You’ll buy one student size mattress. You will buy one pillow and one electric iron…one blanket, one cover cloth, two sets of night gowns. You’ll buy pyjamas, umbrella, rain coat, handkerchiefs, sets of black sandals, white canvass, cutlery” among others as their children are admitted to the Senior High School.
But speaking on Peace FM, Prof, Agyekum said it shouldn’t be too much for a parent to buy personal effects for his or her child when government is footing all bills including feeding fees, tuition fees and all other charges.
“These items are things parents have over the years bought for their children going to the boarding house. Today, government has absorbed school fees and other charges, yours is to buy personal items for your own child to use and you turn around and say, after all the Free SHS is not free? If this Free SHS policy had not been rolled up, parents would have paid school fees and still go ahead and buy these very items some are complaining about. Human being like to complain too much. We humans sometimes behave funny when we have freebies coming our way unexpectedly just as in the abundance of corn, the hen becomes confused and doesn’t know which one to eat. I’m pleading with parents to be responsible and provide adequately for their children even if there’s free SHS.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Tuesday launched the free SHS policy at Adenta in Accra.
The Free SHS Policy, a flagship education programme of the government seeks to increase access to Secondary Education by removing the burden of paying fees from parents. Under the policy, the government would foot all bills.
Over 142,000 eligible students would enjoy the programme which has already kicked off.
