Okyenhene Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin has condemned persons working against the government’s flagship programme, the Free Senior High School policy.

Known in private life as Odeshie Kwame Boakye Ofori Atta, the Okyenhene particularly slammed some matrons and teachers for sabotaging the policy introduced by the Akufo-Addo administration in 2017 to provide free access to secondary education in public schools for all Ghanaian students.

The traditional ruler was speaking at a grand durbar to climax the Ohum-Kan festival at Kyebi on Saturday, July 20.

“We all know how our President [Akufo-Addo] was determined to let every child attend school, ensuring that money does not become a barrier preventing any child from accessing secondary education. Hence, the introduction of the free SHS policy, which is one of the greatest policies in the world,” he stated.

He added, “But having made education free for our children, giving them free food even PTA free, why should the teacher or the matron steal the food meant for the children and then bring cameramen to lament to the whole world that the students are not being fed well? Some even go to the extent of stealing the foodstuffs belonging to physically challenged students. This means their interest is to sabotage and undermine the policy.”

The overlord of the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area expressed deep concern about the trend.

“This is something I am worried about because it happened right in a school at Kyebi, where foodstuffs and provisions belonging to the hearing-impaired students were stolen. I want to let you know that if you are a teacher or anyone in charge of supplying food for our children and you decide to steal the food, it means you are not only undermining the policy but also retarding the development of the country.”

The Free SHS policy has faced criticism following concerns about inadequate infrastructure which critics believe has affected the quality of education at the second-cycle level.