PNC’s Edward Mahama Endorses Free SHS

The People’s National Convention’s Dr. Edward Mahama has endorsed plans by the National Democratic Congress administration to implement the much talked about free Senior High School policy in the 2015/2016 academic year.

Dr. Mahama, a beneficiary of free education under the reign of Ghana’s First President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, is of the view that failure to make education accessible to all, will be a great disservice to the masses and a violation of constitutional rights.

The New Patriotic Party, trumpeted the policy ahead of the 2012 elections, but had stiff opposition from the NDC which said it was not feasible because quality and accessibility was not assured. But after barely two years in office, the NDC administration claims it can make this a reality although its claim to improve access and quality has not been achieved.

Some have accused the party of double-standards, but Dr. Edward Mahama, a three-time presidential candidate of the Peoples National Convention; (PNC) says that is the beauty of democracy. He told Kumasi-based Ultimate Radio that he finds nothing wrong with the move by incumbent administration.

“That is the beauty of democracy. In fact, during the 2012 campaign, although I wasn’t the PNC candidate, I had a press conference where somebody asked me that, Nana was campaigning on free education and that what did I have to say about it. I supported it because I started campaigning about this in 1996 and said that it was because of the same education policy of Nkrumah that I am a doctor today”.

“When I was campaigning on national health insurance, some people in the NPP then said Dr. Mahama is throwing dust into our eyes because he cannot do it.

Asked whether he thought the country was financially sound to implement the policy when it was clear that the current educational system needed further improvement, Dr. Mahama said “if they are going to implement it and they do it very well and not manage it like how the NHIS is being done, then it is good”.