Haruna Iddrisu, Minister-designate for Education, faced Parliament’s Appointment Committee on January 20, 2025, and addressed key questions surrounding the future of Ghana’s education system.
He clarified President Mahama’s stance on the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy and outlined the government’s plan for free tertiary tuition.
Iddrisu firmly dismissed rumors of Free SHS being scrapped, stressing President Mahama’s commitment to reviewing and improving the program.
He emphasized the goal of making the policy more sustainable and expanding its reach to benefit a wider population of Ghanaian students.
”Let me assure this committee that President John Dramani Mahama, has no option to cancel Free SHS. Therefore, those who listen to him, even in the cause of his campaign, he has stated that he will expand Free SHS.
“It was to tell Ghanaians that as President of the Republic, he wants to give 2 million to Article 25 of the 1992 Constitution and Article 38, which spells out the objective of our educational policy.
“Chair, the important thing is that he will subject the Free SHS to a review.”
According to the nominee, to achieve this, the government plans to hold a stakeholder forum to gather diverse perspectives and recommendations on how to enhance the education sector.
Mr. Iddrisu also revealed that approximately ₵345 million will be allocated to implement the government’s ambitious free tuition policy for first-year tertiary students.
This initiative aims to remove financial barriers to higher education and ensure equitable access for students across the country.
”The funds will be disbursed directly to universities, with provisions for reimbursing students who have already paid their tuition fees.”
However, Iddrisu highlighted the flexibility of the policy, allowing parents who can afford it to continue paying fees if they choose.
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