The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has conceded that it is idealistic to allow families with means to pay for their wards’ education while the government funds education for brilliant but needy students.
According to the Overlord of the Asante Kingdom, the Free SHS policy needs national dialogue to address its current shortfalls.
“This Free SHS we are talking about, although we have implemented it, if we have a dialogue and find out that it will result in students coming home every now and then because there is no food, then it is not fit for purpose.
“Those who can afford to pay, let’s have a second look at the policy, if someone can afford it, let’s allow them to pay,” he asserted when the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, paid a courtesy call on him.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II further advocated smooth and sustainable implementation to ensure students benefit from the program.
“Let us implement it well so that students will stay in school and have enough to eat,” he urged.
He also touched on infrastructural challenges facing the policy and suggested that cutting down government expenditures could help in proper management.
“Our dormitories are overcrowded, lack of science and ICT labs. Sometimes PTA makes contributions to support. Lack of school buses and shortage of food should all be looked at.
“The building of E-Blocks and some schools have indeed stalled because of inadequate funding… cutting down waste in government expenditure can accumulate those moneys and continue such projects,” he proposed.
