FREE SHS: Parents Have Been Poorly Briefed – Kweku Baako

Veteran journalist, Abdul-Malik Kwaku Baako, wants the government to concede that it did not properly brief parents on the difficulties associated with its flagship education policy, the free Senior High School (SHS) programme.

The Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide newspaper says, had parents been made aware of funding and logistical challenges weighing down the effective implementation of the policy, the controversy that has been generated by the roll-out of the programme would not have cropped up.

Over the week, Minister of Finance, MR Ken Ofori Attah said on Citi TV that, parents who has what it takes should support the policy by government to make it a better one. Minority in parliament led by Samuel Ablakwa has as well criticised government and see the initiative as a testament to poor planning by government and a sign that quality education will be sacrificed.

But the renowned journalist speaking on news analysis programme, Newsfile, said he feels the primitive response to a challenge that has occurred in implementation of the policy for the SHS students has not been addressed well.

“The points about parents not being fully made aware…I am prepared to concede that there might have been a gap in terms of making them understand what the issues were about and what the pressures and challenges would be relative to their children. Perhaps we must concede to that,” he said.

According to him, he is fully in support of the free senior high schools policy despite the current challenges but believes more can be done going forward for betterment .