FREE EDUCATION SAVE MANY COMMUNITY SCHOOLS-CHASS

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A total of 472 thousand, 730 junior high school graduates are expected to be enrolled into the second cycle system as the 2nd batch of beneficiaries of the government’s flagship Free Senior High education. The enrollment figure is 30 point-seven per cent more than the first year’s number of 361 thousand, 771. 

The Minister for Education, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, made this known an address read for him at the opening of the 56th Annual National Conference of the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools, CHASS, in Kumasi.

 The Education Minister said, the double track system is being introduced when schools re-open next month for the new academic year, to cater for the excess enrollment numbers with high prospects of success despite challenges that could come along with its implementation. 

CHASS
Formed in 1962 as the umbrella body for all heads of secondary schools in Ghana, the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools, CHASS, continues, not only to create the platform for its members to share ideas on best practices towards improved management of the public schools, but also helps to shape educational policies and programmes towards quality education in the country.

 Its annual national Conferences are used to review activities of the group over the past year, project into the ensuing year as well as discuss how best to address issues bothering the entire educational system.

The 2018 Conference
 This year’s Conference  held on the theme: “Free Senior High School Policy; The Role of Stakeholders”, was  used by the delegates to choose new National Executives. The theme  also served as a common platform for some of the key stakeholders in the education value chain to review the free senior high school policy one year after its implementation. 

The National President of CHASS, Victor Yalley, spoke highly of the policy saying that it has helped to keep in operation many less endowed second cycle schools especially the Community-based ones which, for lack of students, would have closed down. 

Mr. Yalley noted with regret however that, the implementation has been fraught with issues of delayed release of funds, food and logistical supply among others which are seriously causing problems for the school heads in effective running of the participating schools. 'Parents and guardians must also understand that they free education has not taken away all their obligations towards their wards' school fees', the CHASS President cautioned. 

In an address read for him by the Chief Director of the Ministry, the Minister for Education, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, noted that, apart from the free senior high education, government is as well embarking on other reforms within the pre-tertiary education sector including reforms in the curriculum, teacher training, vocational and technical training.
Government, he said, is taking steps to address the challenges identified with implementation of the policy assuring that 'i have signed cheques which should reach you soon to clear some of the arrears alluded to.' 

The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu, who was the Special Guest Speaker for the occasion, observed that private sector participation and contribution to formal education in the country cannot be understated such that, huge investment has been made in the sector particularly at the secondary level in recent years which cannot be allowed to go waste. Otumfuo Osei Tutu therefore urged the government to find a way of bringing the private sector on board in the implementation of the free second cycle education.

 There were solidarity messages by the Ghana National Association of Teachers, GNAT, and the National Association of Graduate Teachers, NAGRAT who all pledged to help make the new educational programme successful.

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