Former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Professor Ivan Addae-Mensah,
has rated the Akufo-Addo-led government’s free Senior High School (SHS).
The academic scored the government 4 or less out of 10 in terms of the effectiveness and quality of the flagship programme.
According to him, Free SHS has lowered the standard of education in the country.
“I must be frank when it comes to its effect on quality of education, I won’t give it anything more than four probably less. If anything at all it has lowered the standard of education. It has increased numbers, there is no doubt about that but increase in number is not increase in quality,” he said on JoyNews’ AM show.
While admitting the importance of the free SHS program, Prof. Addae said it is producing quantity rather than improving the quality of education needed.
Prof Addae added that free SHS has affected all the levels of education, especially the tertiary level in terms of quality education.
“When you produce people who after going to school for 10 years cannot spell their own names, can’t even speak a sentence of English correctly. And I’m afraid they’ve gone all the way from the lower level even to our universities and I will not mince any words on this.
“Even up to our universities, I would not say quality has improved. If anything at all quality is going down and down,” he continued.
In the view of Prof Addae, he believes the policy should have covered needy students in order to ease the financial burden of government.
“If those who can afford to pay for the fees of their children are made to pay it will help educate students whose parents unfortunately cannot afford to fund their education,” he stated.