Former Chief of Defense Staff, Brigadier General Joseph Nunoo-Mensah (Rtd), has voiced strong reservations about the National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration’s manifesto promise to introduce free tuition for first-year tertiary students.

Speaking during a stakeholder engagement at O’Reilly Senior High School on January 15, Brigadier General Nunoo Mensah argued that parents who wish to send their children to tertiary institutions should bear the financial responsibility.

“Why pay for them? What is the essence of tertiary education? What is the use? You don’t have to pay for it. Come on, it’s not necessary,” he stated. “If someone wants to go to tertiary education, the parents should afford it because you don’t need them anyway. I don’t need them. They finish, then they will be roaming about in Accra finding jobs. They can’t even produce solar energy to power lights for us. They can’t do anything, so don’t waste our money on them.”

He also expressed his intention to communicate his stance directly to President John Dramani Mahama. “I’m going to tell President John Dramani Mahama, it’s not necessary. But they won’t listen to me because they are politicians; I’m not,” he said.

Brigadier General Nunoo Mensah also criticized the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy, urging the government to revise it to better support underprivileged students. He argued that the policy’s universal approach had led to resource challenges, including food shortages in senior high schools.

“It’s a wrong policy. They should have encouraged parents to pay. Those who cannot pay should have applied for scholarships,” he suggested.

His comments add to the ongoing debate on the sustainability and effectiveness of the country’s educational policies and the need for targeted support for those most in need.