Haruna Mohammed, the New Patriotic Party’s Deputy General Secretary, accused the John Mahama administration of allowing the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) programme to deteriorate in quality. Speaking on Breakfast Daily on Channel One TV on Wednesday, September 9, he said the current implementation falls short of the standards set during the Akufo‑Addo administration, especially in providing school uniforms, books and other essential learning materials.
Mohammed highlighted that items once supplied to students are now expected to be purchased by families. He warned that the programme “is not the same thing under this government.” He also raised concerns over reported food shortages in senior high schools and the quality of meals served to students.
According to the former, the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) has voiced worries over food supplies, pointing to broader challenges affecting the programme. “What we were promised, for them even to be buying the food on their own has not been materialized. A lot of things are ongoing. Food quality is something that affects the school children,” Mohammed said.
He maintained that these challenges are contributing to a decline in the quality of education under Free SHS and urged the government to address the issues to ensure the policy continues to provide quality secondary education without placing additional financial burdens on parents. “The quality in that particular educational setup is low. It’s not the same standard,” he added.
