Deputy Finance Minister Abena Osei Asare has assured Ghanaians that social interventions such as the Free Senior High School policy and the School Feeding Program will be protected as the country seeks an International Monetary Fund (IMF) program to help the ailing economy recover.
A program with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) usually comes with conditionalities that cut the government’s expenditure in some sectors deemed not worthwhile spending much on. There has been some fear that the government may be forced to restructure the free SHS policy so as to cut cost. But Mrs. Abena Osei Asare has said that the Government will protect it and the others.
“…We still implemented the School Feeding under an IMF program. And we even expanded it. In 2017, when we came [ to power], it was around 1 3 children benefiting from the School Feeding. But in 2019, we had moved to almost 2 million children under an IMF program. In 2017, under an IMF program, we did implement Free Senior High School…So the Government will do everything possible to protect social intervention programs [ such as the Free SHS policy and the School Feeding Program],” she assured in an interview with Asaase Radio Monday, July 4, 2022.
The Free Senior High School (SHS) is a flagship program that makes senior high school education free for all students notwithstanding the economic status of their parents or wards. The Government of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo implemented it in September 2017, some nine months after assuming the reins of power in January 2017.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Finance has begun engagements with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) so as to begin negotiations on a suitable economic support program for the country. The Ministry announced that in-person meetings will key officials of the Government will begin on Wednesday, July 6, 2022.
ashantibiz
