A member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Communications Team, Mr. Agyeman, has criticized the government’s “stress-free education” policy, describing it as ineffective and failing to deliver its intended benefits.
Speaking on the Wontumi Morning Show hosted by Oheneba Nana Asiedu, he argued that the policy has not eased the financial burden on students and parents as promised.
Mr. Agyeman praised former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for introducing the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy, which he said has significantly improved access to education in Ghana.
“Free SHS is one of the biggest educational interventions in the country’s history because it made education accessible to many students,” he stated.
However, he maintained that the current “stress-free education” agenda has not lived up to expectations.
“To my understanding, when we talk about stress-free education, it means students should not pay for school fees and other utilities, especially at the university level, but we are not seeing those benefits,” he said.
He further questioned the effectiveness of the policy, citing continued financial challenges faced by tertiary students.
“If students still have to pay huge hostel fees after government contributions, then how is the system stress-free?” he asked.
Mr. Agyeman also pointed to wider economic challenges, including rising electricity tariffs and delays in cocoa payments, which he said are worsening the hardship of many families.
He concluded that a truly stress-free education system should fully absorb academic and accommodation costs to relieve parents of financial pressure.