A Deputy General Secretary of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mustapha Gbande, says the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) only used the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy as a vehicle for corruption.
The NDC stalwart acknowledged that the policy’s original intent is to support the less privileged and increase access to education across the country.
Speaking on Accra-based Starr FM, Mr. Gbande said the implementation of Free SHS has been fraught with challenges such as lack of infrastructure, demotivated teachers, and alleged misappropriation of funds.
“Free SHS was a good policy. It would have helped people. It would have helped persons like myself who could not afford school fees,” he said.
“But to the NPP appointees, it was a basket weaved to get votes. That is why Free SHS was there. But they fed the students badly, poorly. It was also a scheme for corruption,” he added.
He further alleged that the NPP government deliberately overlooked critical needs of the policy because they believed its political popularity would shield them from accountability.
“That is why they didn’t mind infrastructure. That is why government paid for free internet, but there was no internet on the campuses. That is why teachers were not motivated, but they have to teach your children for free,” he said.
Mr. Gbande added, “They thought that with Free SHS, it was an insurance for them to misbehave in government but still get people to vote for them. So, a good vision, but the execution was politically motivated.”
