The Ghana Education Service (GES) has rallied the support of parents, students and other stakeholders for the Free SHS Policy despite the prevailing challenges.

This week, Joy FM’s Super Morning Show has been dedicated to discussions on challenges bedeviling the implementation of the pro-poor policy. Teachers, parents and students shared their challenges regarding the implementation of the programme on the Show.

Among the challenges confronting the free SHS programme that were mentioned are; lack of accommodation facilities resulting in students sleeping on the floor, congestion in classrooms, inconvenience relating to erratic schedules for the double-track system, poor quality of food served to students, little attention to end of semester examinations and minimal contact hours.

Addressing the aforementioned concerns on the Show Friday, May 28, Deputy Director-General in charge of Quality and Access at Ghana Education Service (GES), Dr Kwabena Bempah Tandoh acknowledged the prevalence of the challenges but indicated that measures are being taken to fix them.

"We will embrace them and we will address them. And then the next set of leadership of the Ghana Education service will continue to embrace and address these issues."

Despite criticism and calls for the double track aspect of the policy to be scrapped, the Deputy Director of the GES urged Ghanaians to embrace the programme as thousands of young people are benefiting from it.

"If we had not implemented double-track, 181,993 children wouldn’t have gotten seats in senior high school," he stressed.

Dr Tandoh confirmed challenges relating to delay in release of funds which has crippled administration of the Senior High Schools since the beginning of the year.

"We all know the laws of this country. When there is a transition, whether it is the same government or not, the government cannot budget. Because you have to wait for the eventuality that there is a different government to come and budget for that year," he explained.

Dr. Tandoh further revealed that, "there have been challenges in terms of the approval of funds for running the schools. But as I speak to you now, Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) has received all monies for Form 2s and 3s."

He also said issues relating to inadequate infrastructure will be addressed, "the Ministry is working through the Ghana Education Service. We’re sending our planning and infrastructure team out there to ascertain where especially furniture, is needed not just classroom furniture, but also dormitory furniture."

Regarding the delay in food supply at the various schools across the country, Dr Tandoh admitted that there are challenges which will be duly resolved.