By: Jeremiah Nutsugah
The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) has expressed concern over the government’s attempt to enact a law on free Senior High School (SHS) education without extensive stakeholder consultation.
According to NAGRAT, the government has not sought input from all stakeholders before presenting the Bill to Parliament, which has generated debates and opposition from the Minority in Parliament.
The Minority argues that a new law is unnecessary since Ghana’s Constitution already provides for free education.
However, the government claims the bill aims to revolutionize Ghana’s educational system by decoupling Junior High School (JHS) from Primary School and canceling the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) as a precondition for Senior High School admission.
In a statement issued on July 3, 2024, NAGRAT expressed disappointment over the lack of consultation and input from teacher unions, whose members are crucial in implementing the Free SHS program.
The Association demands that the government suspend the presentation of the Free SHS Bill to Parliament to allow for broad consultation and urges the Parliamentary Select Committee on Education to reject the bill due to the absence of input from education stakeholders.
“We demand that the government suspend the presentation of the bill to Parliament to allow for broad consultation, and we call on the Select Committee on Education to reject the bill as it lacks input from education stakeholders, particularly teacher unions,” the statement read.
