Minister for Works and Housing Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has revealed details of a 2012 education strategy document from the NDC that reveals their long-standing opposition to the Free SHS policy.
In a recent podcast, part of his eight-part series on why Ghanaians should vote for Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia in the upcoming elections, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah dissected the NDC’s 2012 Education Strategic Plan, revealing what he believes is the opposition party’s unwillingness to make SHS free for all Ghanaians.
“I want to show you the NDC's blueprint for financing education. It's called the Education Strategic Plan that was published in February 2012. It was under the signature of Betty Moulde-Iddrisu, who was Minister for Education at the time.
On page 29, where they talk about senior high school education, this is the NDC's real belief.
“According to the NDC, most of the students who attend public senior secondary education come from private schools and therefore they are not poor. These are not my words. These are the NDC's words. And they go on to say that they should not receive subsidies,” he said.
Mr. Oppong Nkrumah said the document implies that the NDC does not view public SHS students as in need of full government support. He said rather than offering free SHS for all, the NDC’s plan focuses on what it calls “means testing.” This approach, he argued, would separate students into groups, identifying only certain students as “needy” and eligible for subsidies.
“The NDC’s approach is to only assist those from what they term ‘hard-to-reach areas’ and to use means testing to decide who deserves support,” he noted.
In contrast, he pointed out that the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Free SHS policy provides every Ghanaian child, regardless of socioeconomic background, with free access to secondary education. “Our philosophy is simple: education should uplift all. Free SHS has changed lives, removed financial barriers, and allowed families across Ghana to send their children to school,” he emphasized. “The NPP is committed to providing quality, free education to every Ghanaian child without discrimination.”
In contrast, he highlighted that the NPP’s Free SHS policy provides free access to secondary education for every Ghanaian child, regardless of socioeconomic background. He explained that the NPP’s philosophy centers on making education accessible to all, helping families across Ghana overcome financial barriers and ensuring equal opportunities for quality education without discrimination.
He urged Ghanaians to reflect on the records of both parties as they head into the next election, emphasizing that "the NDC’s stance is clear: they do not believe in Free SHS for all Ghanaians." He reiterated that Dr. Bawumia and the NPP remain steadfast in their commitment to making quality education accessible for every child in Ghana.
