More SHSs graduates to go to tertiary amid Free SHS – Adutwum
Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum following the implementation of the Free Senior High School says the flagship program has produced a lot of Senior High School (SHS) graduates to be enrolled in various tertiary institutions across the country.
In a short address at a hostel commission at the University of Professional Studies Accra (UPSA), he said the second cycle school graduates to go to tertiary institutions will also increase the Gross Tertiary Enrollment Ratio (GTER).
The facility which was named after the eminent designer of the nation’s Coat of Arms, the late Nii Amon Kotei the Minister in charge of Education disclosed is a 10-storey hostel complex with a 1664-bed capacity.
“It is also furnished with ultra-modern facilities such as study rooms, Junior Common Rooms (JCR), a recreational area, a laundry area, TV rooms, CCTV cameras, an elevator, Automated Teller Machine, just to mention a few,” Dr Yaw noted.
Meanwhile, the Executive Director of Africa Education Watch, Mr Kofi Asare has said public universities considering WASSCE graduates with grade D7 in some subjects for admission will help increase tertiary enrollment by 2030.
The Director of the education think tank in a post said it does not make sense for a student with a grade of D7 in Core Mathematics can pursue a bachelor’s degree in a Technical University but not in a public University in the country.
“Does it make sense to you that someone with D7 in Core Mathematics cannot pursue a regular entry bachelor’s Degree in Ghana but can do the same in Europe or America?” the Africa Education Watch official quizzed.
He said the tertiary entry requirements reforms which will see public universities accept D7 for admission will not increase tertiary enrollment but also expand opportunities for academic and career progression for our youth.
His comment comes after the Education Minister in an interview monitored by AcademicWeek said the Free SHS policy introduced in September 2017 has increased the country’s gross tertiary enrollment ratio by 20 per cent after 60 years.
Speaking on Accra-based PeaceFM Kokrokoo, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum said the country’s gross tertiary enrollment ratio previously was at a standstill at 16 per cent but amid the popular free secondary education initiative it has skyrocketed.
“It is expected for a developing country to have at least 40 per cent of gross tertiary enrollment ratio. It is just last year that Free SHS increased ours to 20 per cent, South Korea is currently 96 per cent,” Dr Adutwum told Peace FM.
The Education Minister indicated it is for this good reason that President Nana Akufo-Addo introduced the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy to ensure candidates who pass the BECE continue their secondary education at no cost.
The Member of Parliament for Bosomtwe Constitieucnty told the host of Kokrooko show, Kwame Sefa Kayi His Excellency has targeted to increase the tertiary enrollment from 20 per cent to a whopping 40 per cent by 2030.
“We now have about eight years to reach that target, when Ghana’s tertiary ratio increases then we will be like the country Marituas, the country will develop and we will have more engineers,” Honourable Adutwum explained.
