The Minority in Parliament has accused the National Democratic Congress (NDC) of deceiving Ghanaian students to secure their votes in the recent elections.
The accusations stem from what the Minority describes as the failure of the Finance Minister-designate, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson to present a clear and concrete plan regarding the payment of academic fees for tertiary and senior high school students.
Speaking at a press briefing on Wednesday, January 15, Member of Parliament for Tano North, Gideon Boako expressed disappointment over the Minister-designate’s response when questioned about the government’s plans to fulfill its pledge to cover the fees of students, particularly first year tertiary students. Dr. Boako criticized the Minister’s lack of commitment, stating that the Finance Minister-designate’s refusal to answer whether the government’s promise to pay fees for students would be honored or not left many students uncertain.
The Minority raised concern about the treatment of private senior high schools in the government’s Free Senior High School (FSHS) program. According to Dr. Boako, during the election campaign, President Mahama had met with the leadership of private senior high schools and promised to include them in the FSHS initiative. However, the Minister-designate’s dismissive response regarding the inclusion of private institutions in the program has drawn strong criticism from the Minority.
The Minority also emphasized that many private senior high schools in Ghana, which are a key part of the education system, have been eagerly awaiting their inclusion in the FSHS program, a promise made by President Mahama during his campaign. The failure to address this issue, according to the Minority, shows a lack of sincerity on the part of the NDC in fulfilling promises made to students across the country.
