Free SHS Program: Funding Remains a Significant Challenge

The Free Senior High School (SHS) program in Ghana has been a subject of controversy, with funding and operationalization being the major concerns. According to Dr. Barnabas Addai Amanfo, a senior lecturer at the Akenten Appiah Menkah University, the program’s success is largely dependent on the government’s ability to sustain funding. In an exclusive interview on Pure Morning Drive on Pure 95.7FM, Dr. Amanfo emphasized that while the program has increased accessibility to education for many Ghanaian youth, it is crucial to address the funding gap.
The key problem of Free SHS is to address the funding gap. Dr. Amanfo argued that the program has made education more accessible to a larger portion of Ghanaian youth, but it has largely been about government’s sustainability to fund the programme. The money that the government allocates for Free SHS has certainly reduced the financial barrier for many families, but there are still numerous other challenges that need attention. These include infrastructure deficits, teacher quality and training, and curriculum relevance.
Launched in September 2017, the Free SHS policy was designed to eliminate tuition and boarding fees, thereby giving all Ghanaian children the opportunity to attend secondary school, regardless of their financial background. The government pledged to absorb the cost of tuition, textbooks, boarding fees, and other school-related expenses for eligible students. However, Dr. Amanfo expressed concern that the policy, while impactful in terms of accessibility, has not adequately addressed the infrastructure deficits and the quality of education at many SHS institutions.
Dr. Amanfo noted that some schools are still facing overcrowding and lack the necessary facilities to properly cater to the influx of students resulting from the Free SHS program. Classrooms are overcrowded, there is a shortage of teaching materials, and many schools lack proper sanitation facilities. These are critical challenges that need to be addressed for the Free SHS policy to achieve its intended results. We are increasing enrollment, but we are not necessarily increasing the capacity of the system to support that number of students. The government needs to increase funding for the program to address the infrastructural deficits and improve the quality of education.
To address the challenges facing the Free SHS program, Dr. Amanfo recommended that the government should invest in building new schools and upgrading existing ones to address the issue of overcrowding and lack of basic amenities. The government should also prioritize teacher training and development to ensure that teachers are equipped to provide high-quality education. Furthermore, the curriculum should be reviewed and updated to ensure that it is relevant to the needs of the economy and society.
By addressing these challenges, the Free SHS program can achieve its intended results and provide Ghanaian youth with access to quality education, regardless of their financial background. Dr. Amanfo emphasized that the government’s allocation of funds for the Free SHS program has reduced the financial burden on parents, but it is essential to ensure that the resources are being used to improve the quality of education. The program’s success depends on the government’s ability to sustain funding and address the infrastructural deficits and quality of education.
Source: purefmonline.com ||27th January, 2025||