No gov’t can cancel the Free Senior High School policy – Politician
The Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy introduced in September 2017 by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) will continue to be a major educational sector social intervention in the country, Samuel Koku Anyidoho has said.
Speaking to students of Anlo Awomefia Senior High School, the politician said while there are challenges associated with the Free SHS program, it has significantly contributed to producing more literate citizens in the country.
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“It’s a very good programme and it is really helping to produce a lot of literates in the country, which is very important to the development of the nation. So, I believe the programme has come to stay, and no government can cancel it,” he said.
Citing an increase in second-cycle school enrollment amid the policy, he said “Many Ghanaians have benefited from the policy, and it has enabled more students to attend university and contribute meaningfully to the country’s economic growth.”
Free SHS is a policy that ensures every Junior High School student who passes the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and is placed in a public Senior High School for his secondary education have his/her fees absorbed by the government.
In another story, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) following the increase in second-cycle school enrolment among others as the benefit of the Free Free SHS policy introduced in 2017 says the programme is poorly targeted.
In a report released ahead of the approval of the country’s $3 billion bailout, it said “The flagship Free Senior High School, which covers the full cost of secondary education, has helped increase enrolment but is poorly targeted.”
Despite spending almost 4 per cent of Gross domestic product (GDP) on education with good results in terms of student enrolment, the United States-based financial agency said the country’s learning outcomes are poor.
The International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) comment on the Free SHS policy comes after its executive board approved a long-awaited $3 billion bailout for Ghana in hopes of battling the country’s worsening economic crisis.