Former President John Dramani Mahama has criticized the current administration led by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for its implementation of a policy providing free tablets to senior high school students. Speaking at a public lecture at the Wisconsin International University College, Ghana, Mahama characterized the initiative as a blatant attempt by the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) to secure votes ahead of the 2024 general elections.
Mahama highlighted the government’s neglect of ongoing educational projects, attributing it to their focus on distributing tablets. He emphasized the lack of textbooks in basic schools over the past four years and questioned the prioritization of tablets over addressing pressing educational needs.
The former President suggested that the timing of the initiative, coinciding with voter registration for pre-tertiary students, was a strategic move to sway their votes. He described the provision of tablets as a bribe to garner support for the current government, asserting that other educational sectors were in greater need of funding.
Mahama underscored the necessity of reallocating state resources to address critical issues within the education sector, rather than investing in what he deemed a politically motivated scheme.
