President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has addressed calls for changes to the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy, suggesting that families who can afford private education should opt for fee-paying schools.
His comments follow concerns about the financial burden the policy places on the national budget.
Speaking at the 2024/2025 Annual General Conference of the Ghana Bar Association in Kumasi last Monday, President Akufo-Addo reiterated his commitment to maintaining the Free SHS policy, which he said ensures equal access to education for all, particularly those who would otherwise be unable to afford secondary schooling.
"People who can afford to pay fees for the education of their wards should send them to fee-paying private schools," the President affirmed. "Public schools that are funded by the taxpayer should be free to all who will otherwise be unable to pay for their education".
The President’s remarks come after the Ghana Bar Association’s President, Yaw Acheampong Boafo, suggested that wealthier families should contribute to the cost of education to ease pressure on the state budget and allow more resources to be directed towards less privileged students.
President Akufo-Addo defended the success of the Free SHS programme, noting that the number of students accessing secondary education has doubled since its introduction, with over 5.7 million students benefitting to date.
He expressed confidence that the long-term impact of the policy would far outweigh concerns about a small group of affluent parents who could afford to pay fees.
“That is why the number of pupils who have access to secondary education has doubled since the introduction of the free senior high school policy.”
“Over 5.7 million persons have benefitted from the policy since its inception. The following impact of this dramatic development will be felt in due course and will far outweigh the small number of privileged parents who can afford to pay for the education of their wards,” President Akufo-Addo stated.
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