Educationist Nii Armah Addy has strongly criticized Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, the Education Minister, accusing him of either lacking a basic understanding of the English language or being clueless about his responsibilities.
Mr. Addy’s comments arose from the Minister’s interpretation of discussions around the implementation of the Free Senior High School (FSHS) policy, which the Minister’s team often conflates with cancellation.
He argued, “It seems to me that our Education Minister and his team have a huge problem with the English language; either they don’t understand the language or they just don’t know what they are doing with our education system. When Ghanaians are talking about the implementation of the FSHS policy and the need for redress, he and his people equate the word ‘implementation’ with ‘cancellation’. They should not give us any posture about this political point that they are trying to win.”
Speaking on A1 Radio about the recent proposed FSHS bill drafted by the Ministry of Education, the educationist dismissed the bill as a ploy to gain political advantage.
He asserted that no government, present or future, would consider cancelling the FSHS program.
“I have said several times, and I will maintain, that the posture of this government towards our educational system is nothing but political mathematics. They only want to score cheap political points. The delusion that they will have to put it into legislation so that no government can cancel it is a lie. The FSHS is enshrined in our constitution; Article 25 says it clearly. So, what is the minister talking about here?”
The proposed bill seeks to provide legal backing for free and compulsory senior high school education. Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, discussing the bill, emphasized key reforms, including the integration of junior high school (JHS) into the secondary school system, creating six years of continuous secondary education. Another notable change proposed is the elimination of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) as a prerequisite for secondary school admission. Instead, the BECE would be used solely for school selection.
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1MHz|Moses Apiah|Bolgatanga
