Mr Joe Ghartey, Member of Parliament for the Essikado Ketan Constituency, has said the introduction of the free Senior High School education has re-established confidence in the body politics of the country.
He said Ghanaians over the years have lost sureness in the promises of politicians and that the fulfilment of this flagship campaign message was a plus for the New Patriotic Party administration and politics in general of the country.
Mr Ghartey, who was speaking during a visit to some selected schools to access the implementation of the Free Senior High Education policy in the Western Region, said the move was a remarkable one in the history of the country and described the new generation of beneficiaries as a blessed one.
He recounted the struggles he faced during his school days as he was raised by a single parent adding, “I can understand the joy this policy has brought to many homes especially the under-privileged to acquire high education and to change their fortunes in the near future”.
The Member of Parliament said that an educated country or person was far richer than an uneducated one, since the people have the better chances of making good decisions and choices and urged the students to value the three year scholarship and come out with flying colours.
He was accompanied by Mrs Eugenia Gifty Kusi, the Deputy Western Regional Minister; Mrs Enyonam Amafugah, Education Director and Agyepa Mercer, a legal practitioner.
Also included in the tour were Mr Anthony K. K. Sam and Mrs Elizabeth Akouko, the STMA Director of Education.
They visited the Ghana Secondary Technical School, the Archbishop Porter Girls School, Adiembra Secondary school and the Daboase Senior Technical School.
At the schools visited, the heads of the institution lauded the Free SHS policy which according to them had come at an opportune time to reduce the burden on parents and care givers and ensure that every Ghanaian child had access to an equitable and quality system of learning.
Mr Ebenezer Nelson, Headmaster of the Adiembra Senior High School was full of praise for the new policy which he noted had saved the school of the usual hurdles of collecting school fees.
“This policy is a blessing to the school…we have lots of arrears pending as I speak, it difficult to raise monies from parents and caregivers. In fact is a big relief to me as head of this institution”, he said.
Mr Nelson also said the free SHS has curbed lots of admissions sufferings as it had streamlined the admission processes…We were giving 776 out of which 645 had been placed and parents keep coming in with their wards…I am sure we will successfully exhaust our numbers”
He complained about the poor layout of the school and the need for massive infrastructural development to benefits its current status.
At Daboase Senior High Technical School, the fresh students lined up the roadside to welcome the team in appreciation to the government for the free SHS initiative amidst drumming and cultural performances.
The school has successfully placed all students despite the lack of dormitory and school blocks to aid teaching and learning.
Mr Wilson Arthur, the District Chief Executive, said the assembly was committed to supporting education in the area.
Although the school has more than 20-acre land earmarked for development, work was yet to begin on the facility.
Mr Ghartey assured the school of effective collaboration between the district assembly, the Ghana Education Service and other stakeholders to ensure that the school relocated to its new site.