Financial Economist Dr. Sam Worlanyoh Mensah has advised the government to review the Free SHS policy to reduce its toll on national economy.
Speaking to UniversNews, Dr. Mensah emphasized on the need to review the Free SHS Policy to effectively benefit the educational sector as well as prevent other sectors of national concern from suffering the cost.
According to Dr. Mensah, the policy must not affect the total welfare of citizens.
“So all the government needs to do now is to review the free SHS so that we don’t have unnecessary cost. Education is key and that is a must, but we need to roll it out in a way that it will not sacrifice other sectors of the economy. It will not be a determinant to our total welfare.”
Dr. Mensah also suggested that technical and vocational schools be made free as these schools are of high value to national development.
He also suggested that parents of students in boarding schools be given the responsibility of making contributions to support themselves in terms of feeding.
According to him, taking this step will simply leave accommodation and tuition fees for government to handle, hence less expenditure over the Free SHS policy.
“…Those are the sectors of education that really helps us to transform the country. So why don’t [we] make the technical and vocational schools free? So the free assistance will only be applied totally to technical and vocational schools. Then also coming to the grammar schools, we make [sure that] those that are day students will not pay fees. But government will continue to pay school fees for every student. Those that will be in boarding, the parents should make a contribution so that they should be able to pay for [their] feeding. So that other issues like accommodation and issues like tuition should be owned by the government.”
