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Ghana’s Free Senior High School (SHS) program has been dubbed the most ambitious social intervention project of the Fourth Republic by Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene.
He spoke about these issues on Thursday, September 5, at the University of Cape Coast (UCC), at a ceremony when he received an honorary degree in recognition of his important contributions to peacekeeping, nation-building, and development.
The Asantehene, looking back on Ghana’s history of free education, observed that the pre-independence programs had prioritized basic education and then higher education. However, due to the state’s budgetary limitations, secondary education had long been neglected.
“There is no doubt that the Free Senior High School programme is the most audacious piece of social intervention in our Fourth Republic,” Otumfuo said.
“The pre-independence programme for free education covered primary education and later the university; the secondary sector was beyond the capacity of the state.
“None of the reforms since had dared move the dial through that phase; the decision to take the plan, therefore, had to be truly ambitious, and it is no wonder it has kept education at the top of national discourse.”
According to the Asantehene, Ghana’s obligation to guarantee that all citizens have access to basic education is in line with offering Free SHS.
“If we are preparing our children to compete in the global economy of today, then they should be entitled to the same level of basic education as children in other climes.
“Since basic education elsewhere encompasses secondary high school, it is only fair that we also upgrade our basic education. In that sense, therefore, offering free senior high school is doing no more than meeting the obligation to provide the basic education for all,” Otumfuo said.
Many have praised the Free SHS policy’s influence on accessibility, while others have questioned its sustainability. The program was adopted by the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government in 2017 and continues to be a major topic in national conversations on education.
Source: Ghanatodayonline.com
