Government to distribute 350 buses, 840 pick-ups to SHSs – Nana Addo

The President, Nana Akufo-Addo says his government will be giving out 350 buses and 840 vehicles to some Senior High Schools (SHS) in the country.

This forms part of plans to alleviate the conditions of the Free SHS policy, especially now that final year students are returning to school on June 23 to prepare for the West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

Schools were asked to reopen two weeks ago for final year students after a phased easing of restrictions was announced based on the improved management of the coronavirus in Ghana.

In a national address on Sunday, June 21, President Akufo-Addo disclosed plans the government have made towards ensuring the safety and comfort of the students returning to school.

“Through the National Food and Buffer Stock Company, enough food supplies have been distributed to all schools. Government is also making available 350 buses and 840 pickup vehicles to Senior High Schools that did not receive vehicles in 2016. For the first time in our nation’s history, Government will absorb the WASSCE examination fees of the 313,837 SHS 3 students who will sit for the exam. GH¢75.4 million will be spent on this.”

The President had earlier hinted of plans to distribute these vehicles to the various schools while speaking at the 70th-anniversary celebration of Prempeh College on Saturday, 30th November 2019.

He also indicated that the government had commenced the construction of 962 structures, comprising classrooms, dining halls, assembly halls, sanitary facilities, and dormitories, in Senior High Schools across the country.

WASSCE during COVID-19

The 2020 WASSCE in Ghana will take place from August 3, 2020, after six weeks of studies, starting from Monday, June 22.

The West African Examination Council (WAEC) which conducts the WASSCE concurrently in anglophone West Africa; Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, The Gambia and Liberia announced on March 20, 2020 that it was indefinitely suspending the annual exam due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, upon discussions with Ghana following the country’s decision to ease COVID-19 restrictions and allow final year students return to school, it was agreed that the exams will be held independently for Ghana.