The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has denied claims that its Members of Parliament are opposed to a proposed Free Senior High School (SHS) Bill.
Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, on Tuesday announced that the bill, when passed into law, would make the implementation of the Free SHS policy binding on successive governments.
According to him, the move is to prevent any government from attempting to abort the policy. Some groups and individuals have already criticised the move as needless.
The Minority Leader Dr Cassiel Ato Forson in a post on X on Wednesday June 12, stated that the claims about NDC MPs being against the proposed Free SHS bill are untrue.
He clarified that there is currently no such bill before Parliament, making it impossible for the party to oppose a bill they have not seen.
His statement emphasized the NDC’s foundational role in Ghana’s education system, highlighting that it was under the NDC-led government that the 1992 Constitution, which provided the legal framework for free secondary education, was enacted. Further, the NDC initiated the implementation of the Free SHS program in 2015, benefiting over 320,000 day students in public senior high schools. This initial phase included a plan to expand the program to cover 120,000 boarding students by 2017.
“The NDC commenced the Free SHS program with a clear vision and structured plan. Our commitment to education is unwavering,” the statement read.
The NDC’s position on the Free SHS program, as reiterated by the party’s flag-bearer, is to enhance and refine the implementation of the program. The NDC aims to address current challenges through a consultative approach, ensuring the program’s sustainability and improvement.
He assured the public of the NDC’s support for any legislative or policy measures aimed at improving the Free SHS program.