500, 000 students to attend free SHS - Mahama

President John Mahama has revealed that about 500, 000 students will attend the progressively free Senior High School education.

Speaking at the inauguration of the Agona Abodom Community Senior High School in the Central Region as part of his five-day tour, he said an additional “120,000 boarding students” have been earmarked for the programme, which will increase “the total number of students in senior high schools.

The 1992 Republican Constitution stipulates that Ghana must embrace a progressively free Senior High School education ten years upon the coming into being of the Constitution.

More here: Dwindling fortunes of education in Central Region to be transformed - Mahama

He said 23 out of the 200 community day schools are at various stages of completion.

He noted that every Community SHS have been allocated a brand new bus.

The President said Community Day SHS will benefit students who could have missed out on admission due to limited resources.

“Young boys and girls, who, but for the establishment of these schools would have missed out on receiving an affordable yet world-class education with these community day schools; that hard working girl who could not get a place in secondary school because of limited access, can now have a heart desire and hope to access secondary education again.

“It is humbling yet fulfilling that a brilliant young boy in a community like Agona Abodom who will ordinarily drop out of school after JHS because of limited access and financial difficulties can today pick up his books and contribute to class discussions and receive a round of applause from his peers for giving the right answers to a question posed by his teacher,” he said.

However, President John Mahama will be in the Central region this week for a 5-day campaign tour.

While in the region, he will visit and pay courtesy calls on the various traditional councils, interact with identifiable groups and address party supporters.

President Mahama will visit constituencies like Agona East, Agona West, Gomoa East, Gomoa West, Gomoa Central, Ekumfi, Mfantseman and Cape Coast North all in the Central region.

The others are Cape Coast South, Ekumfi, Asikuma Odoben Brakwa, Ajumako Enyan Esiam, Bisease, Awutu Senya East, Awutu Senya West, and Komenda Edina Eguafo Abirem constituencies.