The flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has criticised the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government over its management of the Free Senior High School (SHS) programme, claiming the policy has deteriorated under the current administration.
According to Dr Bawumia, the government’s handling of the programme has fallen short of expectations, particularly regarding feeding arrangements and access to the policy.
“Free Senior High School is suffering under the NDC. After they promised to improve meals for students, today it has deteriorated,” he said.
Dr Bawumia made the remarks at the NPP’s National Delegates Conference at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi on October 3, 2026.
He claimed that some BECE graduates were being excluded from the programme, while frustrated parents were being told that their wards had not qualified for placement.
Dr Bawumia further criticised the NDC government for failing to fulfil its promise to abolish the double-track system introduced under the NPP government to accommodate increased enrolment following the implementation of Free SHS
He said the NDC had previously criticised the double-track system but had not delivered on its commitment to scrap it.
“I believe many Ghanaians are not surprised by the way the NDC government is managing the Free SHS programme. They never believed in it. They bastardised it for years. They called it 419, election after election, until they realised its impact on every household in Ghana,” he said.
Dr Bawumia maintained that the Free SHS programme would function as intended if the NPP were in government.
“Free SHS would be truly functioning as intended if its initiator, the NPP, was in office,” he added.
