“Kyerematen Promises to Review Free SHS Policy if Elected”

The leader of the Movement for Change, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, has promised to conduct a comprehensive review of the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy if he is elected. While acknowledging the policy’s success in increasing access to education, Kyerematen believes a thorough review is necessary to ensure its long-term sustainability and effectiveness.

In an interview on JoyNews, Kyerematen outlined his criteria for reviewing the policy, including:

• Financial sustainability: Ensuring that the policy is affordable and won’t burden the country’s finances.
• Infrastructural requirements: Assessing the state of schools and ensuring they have the necessary facilities to support the policy.
• Curriculum development: Reviewing the curriculum to ensure it prepares students for the job market and equips them with relevant skills.
• Graduate employment: Developing a plan to ensure graduates have job opportunities and are employable.
• Teacher training: Ensuring that teachers are adequately trained to handle the increased student population.
• School infrastructure: Ensuring that schools have adequate infrastructure, including classrooms, libraries, and laboratories.

Kyerematen emphasized the need for a comprehensive review to prevent the policy from failing. “If you don’t analyze the financial implications, the infrastructure requirements, the curriculum requirements, and the graduate employment opportunities, the policy will fail,” he warned.

He also stressed the importance of developing a framework for the policy’s operationalization, including a plan for graduating students. This framework would ensure that the policy is implemented effectively and efficiently.

Kyerematen believes that a comprehensive review will enable the country to make informed decisions about the policy’s future and potentially legislate it as a permanent fixture. “After the review, we can decide whether to maintain the policy, modify it, or scrap it altogether,” he said.

He also promised to engage with stakeholders, including teachers, students, parents, and education experts, to ensure that the review is inclusive and comprehensive.

Overall, Kyerematen’s promise to review the Free SHS policy is a significant commitment to ensuring that the policy benefits all Ghanaians and contributes to the country’s development.