The Minority in Parliament is urging the Akufo-Addo government to include continuing students when it firms up its budget for the free senior high school (SHS) policy which takes off in 2017/18 academic year.
They say the policy must not only benefit new entrants into Senior High but must include continuing students.
At a press conference in Parliament House Wednesday, Minority leader Haruna Iddrisu said government cannot set the policy in motion without including continuing students who are as eager to enjoy free SHS as the new entrants.
He was responding to the President's State of the Nation Address delivered to Parliament Tuesday.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said government would fund the cost of public SHS for all those who qualify for entry from the 2017/2018 academic year onwards.
He explained that by free SHS there will be no admission fees, no library fees, no science centre fees, no computer lab fees, no examination fees and no utility fees.
Spelling out the details of the policy “so that no one in Ghana is left in any doubts”, President Akufo-Addo added that in addition to tuition which is already free, there will be free textbooks, free boarding and free meals, and day students will get a meal at school for free.”
Already there has been a hot debate about how this would be funded but the Finance minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, is said to have the last word when he reads the budget next month.
But the Minority leader flanked by his other National Democratic Congress (NDC) Members of Parliament said the president should keep continuing students in mind when drawing the budget.
"We would be waiting for his financing option," he added.
Mr Iddrisu described the President's current situation as being between the devil and the deep blue sea as the President is complaining of not having fiscal space yet accommodating new presidential initiatives.
He wondered how the government will fund the cost of the implementing the policy having bastardised borrowing, and also threatening to cut down on some taxes which are sources of revenue.
Latest Stories
-
Former Deputy AG accuses Godfred Dame of unethical legal behaviour
43 seconds -
John Kumah goes home on May 18
6 mins -
Tema General Hospital: If a baby died, it wasn’t because of ‘dumsor’ – GHS Accra Director
34 mins -
Afenyo-Markin fetes cast and crew of ‘the gods are not to blame’
37 mins -
‘Dumsor’ to hit parts of Accra and Tema today
50 mins -
Energy transition threatens survival of GNPC – PIAC warns
1 hour -
ECG fails to comply with PURC directive to publish ‘Dumsor’ timetable
1 hour -
Tullow, partners affirm commitment to support coastal communities
2 hours -
Creative Addictions: Documentary on drug use among celebrities premieres on Joy News, Joy FM, Joy Prime
2 hours -
‘There is something mysteriously amiss somewhere’ – Gabby Otchere-Darko on ‘dumsor’
2 hours -
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs: What we know about the accusations against him
2 hours -
Education giant Excel-Plus Education set to host 2024 Study Abroad Fair at Accra City Hotel
3 hours -
Newmont unites communities through sports as it hosts intercommunity football gala in Akyem
3 hours -
Zoomlion Ghana Limited donates to support 8-year-old leukaemia patient
3 hours -
Telecel Ghana and Huawei sign new framework contract to provide better network experience
3 hours