Discussions on challenges facing the implementation of the free SHS policy continued on Joy FM's Super Morning Show Thursday, May 27 with students and teachers sharing their perspectives.

A teacher who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that teachers who complain about challenges confronting the implementation of the policy such as poor infrastructure, risk losing their jobs or being posted to a remote village.

"So you see, if you’re talking you’re very careful. If you keep quiet, then you’re in the school," Dokua, as she was referred to for the purpose of the interview, said.

She cited an instance when during an examination session, one of her colleagues shot a video of an examination hall that had seated 80 students instead of 45.

"After sharing the video on the teacher's WhatsApp platform, within hours, he was called from so many places. Had it not been the intervention of our headmaster, he would have been taken from our school," Dokua said.

Highlighting other challenges teachers face with the system, Dokua said that teachers have no authority to tell students to buy materials needed for teaching and learning.

"When the programme [Free SHS and the Double Track System] started, if the students come to your class and the student is supposed to have, let’s assume a maths set. Then you tell the student, “In the next class make sure you come with a maths set.

"The next time, you realize your name has been mentioned at the Administration office that you asked a student to go and buy a maths set."

In order to escape being called by authorities, Dokua said that the headmaster of the school advised teachers to only let students be aware of the importance of having a particular material for their learning, instead of instructing them to buy that item.

"So if the child is not having, you teach. But just let the child know that he/she needs this particular thing for the class. If the child brings it, fine. Continue teaching."

On the same show, another teacher who identified himself as Samuel Yankey on the basis of anonymity said that as a teacher, you would have to hide your identity if you choose to speak about issues concerning the free SHS programme.

"So you as a stubborn teacher speaking on the matter, if you’re not careful, you are victimized."

He said that the reason why he chose to shield his identity was because, "Probably, we’re in a system where you don’t know what next."

He said that even though Management of the school meets with authorities to discuss problems the school is facing regarding the free educational system, the problem still persists.

The free SHS programme which took off in 2017 has been widely hailed as a game-changer as more than a million students currently have access to second cycle education with government bearing the cost.

The purpose of the policy was to reduce poverty and to increase the literacy rate among the youth in the country.

In 2018, the double-track system was introduced as part of the Free SHS Education Policy to enable the various Senior High Schools in the country to admit more students so that all eligible students will gain access to education.