Plan International Ghana Urges Gov't to Hold Stakeholder Consultation on Free SHS

The Eastern Regional Unit Manager of Plan International Ghana (PIG), Kofi Adade Debrah, has urged the Ghanaian Government to consider a stakeholder consultative meeting to inform the review of the free Senior high school policy to address enormous challenges confronting with the policy for efficiency to achieve the intended purpose.

The Regional Director of PIG made these remarks after Inter -Senior high schools debate on quality education to mark African Union Day of the African Child.

Speaking to the Media, the Eastern Regional Unit Manager of Plan International Ghana, Kofi Adade Debrah, commended the government for the introduction of Free Senior High School which he believes will promote access and equality. However, he called on the government to consider a stakeholder consultation on the policy to inform the review and address the teething challenges.

“Government should look at all these factors and have some kind of stakeholder consultation in looking at how best to address them so that at the end of the day, the Free education that government is talking about would be truly something that we will be proud about and also leave a good legacy for population yet unborn,” he said,

“We believe Ghana is on the right direction because if you compare Ghana with South Korea for example, both Countries had independence almost at the same time but if you look at where South Korea has reached today as compared to Ghana, they are far ahead and there is data to show that it is so because they embraced education to the highest level earlier for that matter strong literacy among the population is leading to development.

"So it is a good path that government has chosen to ensure that every child gets at least up to secondary education which would help in terms of informed choices about decisions so that at the end of the day the nation benefits,” he added.

Madam Victoria Mini made, the District Development Coordinator of the Eastern Programme Unit of Plan International said, access to quality education is a right of every child, and key to empowering young women to break the glass ceiling.

Five (5) Senior High Schools in the Eastern region that participated were Yilo Krobo SHS, Asesewa, Manya Krobo, Nifa, and Mangoase Senior High Schools. The participants were members of the Girls Making Media Group.

The students debated on the topic “Every Child benefits fully from Quality Education in Ghana. A reality or Mirage”

William Ofori Akwaboa, Eastern Regional Correspondent