President Akufo-Addo has defended the government’s decision to raise funding for its Free Senior High School (SHS) policy.
Despite the nation’s economic difficulties, the budgetary allocation for the policy’s implementation has increased from GH₵2.3 billion to GH₵2.96 billion, signifying a 28.6 percent increase.
Speaking at the 70th Anniversary of Opoku Ware School in Kumasi last week, President Akufo-Addo argued that the policy has proven to be most effective following the results from the past two West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for the past two years.
“The 2022 WASSCE results of the third batch of Free SHS graduates show 60.39 percent of students recording A1-C6 in English as opposed to 51.6 percent in 2016. 62.5 percent recording A1 to C6 in Integrated Science in 2022 as opposed to 48.35 percent in 2016 with this year’s results being a slight regression from the 2021 pass rate of 65.7 percent”, he said.
He continued touting the efficiency of the policy, stating that “61.39 percent recorded A1 to C6 in Mathematics as compared to 33.12 percent in 2016 and 71.5 percent recorded A1 to C6 in Social Studies as compared to 54.5 percent in 2016.”
“Lest we forget the 2021 batch of students who also obtained very commendable results were the pioneers of the double track system which elicit a lot of vilification and unfounded criticism on its introduction,” the President added.
The government seeks to give full effect to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4, which is to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all, with the Free SHS Policy which was implemented in 2017.
Goal 4, Target 1 of the SGD also states that “by 2030, all boys and girls complete free equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes”.
The policy has somehow removed cost barriers through the absorption of fees and the provision of core textbooks.
Currently, the government is working to expand physical school infrastructure and facilities to accommodate the expected increase in enrolment.
According to reports, as of January this year, SHS enrolment has reached more than 1.2 million students since the implementation of the government’s flagship educational policy.
However, in July 2022, Deputy Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Anthony Boateng, noted that some 22,000 students offered admission to SHS each year are unable to go to school since their parents are not capable of buying them chop boxes, trunks and other basic needs to take up the admission offered them.
“There are people in this country whose daily incomes are less than GH₵30, and under the free SHS, there are 22,000 qualified students who always cannot take up their places at SHS because they cannot buy chop boxes, trunks, and other basic needs for them to go to school. This is how serious the situation can be,” he said.
Source: The Independent Ghana