Over GH¢100b spent on education since Free SHS inception – Govt

The central government has spent approximately GH¢114,500,612,135.00 on education since the introduction of the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy in 2017, President Nana Akufo-Addo has told heads of Senior High Schools.

Speaking at the 61st conference of the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS), His Excellency Akufo-Addo indicated that out of this, GH¢12,961,284,548.00 has been spent on Senior High Schools (SHSs).

Held on the theme: “61 Years of Shaping Second-Cycle Education in Ghana: The Challenges and Successes in Contemporary Times”, he said at the conference that investment had translated into the execution of a total of 1,105 projects at the second-cycle level.

The second cycle education projects the President said include accommodation, teaching and learning-related projects such as classroom blocks, science laboratories and home economics blocks, dormitories and model STEM schools.

Through the Ghana Education Trust (GET) Fund, Nana Addo disclosed that some 1,270 infrastructure interventions have also been implemented at the basic level to help improve the standards for early childhood education.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo explained that projects relating to the construction of schools came with cutting-edge technology, including SMART boards, to enhance interactive learning experiences.

“I am pleased to report that a substantial number of these projects are nearing completion, and by early 2024, they will be fully operational,” he stated as quoted by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in a blog post sighted by AcademicWeek.

Citing the progress being made to transform education at the Junior High School (JHS) level, His Excellency mentioned the construction of 11 model schools across the country.

These facilities are expected to be fitted with modern amenities in order to provide an optimal learning environment for meaningful outcomes when completed.

The Minister for Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum on his part commended the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) for being worthy partners of the Government in pursuit of the nation’s educational goals.

Lauding President Akufo-Addo for implementing the Free SHS programme, Adutwum said there was no way Ghana could play a more significant role in the Fourth Industrial Revolution without vibrant and appropriate educational policies.