Mahama to include private schools in Free SHS if elected president

The flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, says he will include private schools in the Free SHS programme should he be elected president in the upcoming elections to be held in December this year.

The former president and leader of the opposition NDC party made the promise speaking at the launch of the 2024 annual week celebration of the Ghana National Association of Private Schools (GNAPS) as a special guest of honour.

Explaining the possible inclusion of all private schools in the country in the flagship free High School programme, Mahama said many of them have the necessary infrastructure and human resources to support the programme.

Describing private schools as trailblazers and pacesetters introducing new teaching techniques and procedures into the system, he said private schools are more effective in handling special children because of their teacher-to-pupil ratio.

He explained that public schools have high numbers, making it challenging for teachers to attend to all children, especially those with special needs. Private schools, he noted, are therefore crucial to the education sector.

Mr Mahama assured the association of private schools that an NDC government would prioritise education and bring together all stakeholders in the industry to review the entire education structure from the basic to the tertiary level.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer and leader also stated that his government will 2025 invest heavily in basic education to ensure a strong foundation for the education sector.

The promise to include private schools in the Free SHS programme introduced in 2017 by the New Patriotic Party government was first made by the John Mahama-led NDC on September 7, 2020, ahead of the 2020 election.

The assurance was given by then running mate for Mahama and former Minister for Education Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang giving highlights of the Democratic Congress 2020 manifesto ahead of the 2020 general election

“The next NDC administration will make the Free SHS better by addressing its challenges and extending the policy to cover students in private Senior High Schools and also abolish the double-track system,” Jane Naana stated.