Ambrose Kwadwoza, the National Chairman of the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU), has acknowledged the positive aspects of the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy while expressing concerns about its equitable distribution among Ghanaians.
During a recent discussion at JoyNews’ National Dialogue on the Free SHS Promise, Mr. Kwadwoza emphasized that although the Free SHS policy has undeniable merits, it has not guaranteed equal access for all students.
Mr. Kwadwoza noted that while every Ghanaian student desires to attend a boarding school, the current implementation of the policy has created disparities. He highlighted that some students face challenges due to long commutes and transportation costs, aggravated by the distance between their homes and schools.
“They spend hours in traffic so if you put all those things into perspective, you will see that the Free SHS policy has not been fair to all Ghanaians,” he stated during the dialogue.
The TEWU National Chairman stressed that students from disadvantaged backgrounds bear the brunt of this inequality, pointing out that the unequal treatment contradicts the fairness embedded in the policy.
Mr. Kwadwoza further elaborated on the impact of this disparity, stating, “So, if somebody will be kept in the boarding house and fed three times and somebody who commutes daily to school and back is fed once, then already the cost barrier that you want to eliminate has been embedded on the person who is commuting from the house and back.”
In response to arguments about students commuting long distances before the Free SHS policy, Mr. Kwadwoza clarified that prior to the policy, commuting was often due to financial constraints.
He emphasized the importance of ensuring equitable access for all students with the introduction of the Free SHS policy, including free boarding school options. Mr. Kwadwoza advocated for a more inclusive approach, stating, “Let everybody benefit from what is free for all Ghanaians.”
As discussions on the Free SHS policy continue, stakeholders like TEWU’s National Chairman play a crucial role in identifying areas for improvement and ensuring that educational policies are equitable and accessible to all Ghanaian students.
