Before the SHS policy, children were selling items such as sachet water, biscuits, toffees, and other items on the streets, but that has changed.
Before the SHS policy, children were selling items such as sachet water, biscuits, toffees, and other items on the streets, the major markets and commercial towns such as Assin Praso, Breku, Fosu, Akropong-Odumasi.
But since the implementation of the policy two months ago, many of them have left the areas they were operating in, the Ghana News Agency reports.
Some parents told the GNA that: “the children were selling those things to help us raise monies to finance their education, but with the free education, they are all in school. The obviously excited parents said formerly, they had no choice than to let their wards support their trading activities sometimes during classes hours because they could not finance their schooling."
Some of the hawkers have gained admission to Assin Manso and Obiri-Yeboah Senior High Schools.
A 19-year-old, Bright Osei who used to sell items at Nyankomasi market said: "I was selling pure water to help my parents raise money to further my education but I have stopped selling because my education is now free”.
“Had it not been free education, it would have taken me between two to three years for me go to school. My family and I are sincerely grateful for this privilege”.
Osei is a General Arts student of Aggrey Memorial Zion School, a grade ‘A’ SHS in the Cape Coast Metropolis.