Education Minister Says Government To Make Senior High Schools Compulsory In Ghana
- Education Minister Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum says the government has approved a proposal to make senior high school education compulsory
- He said should the law be enacted it would signify a significant step towards formalising and sustaining the Free Senior High School Policy
- He noted that the Free SHS policy has enrolled 1.4 million students since its inception in 2017 and is expected to enroll more in the coming years
Education Minister Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum says the cabinet has approved a proposal to make senior high school education in Ghana free and compulsory.
Currently, only basic education is compulsory in Ghana, including preschool, primary classes 1-6, and Junior High School forms 1-3.
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According to the Education Minister, the proposal would lead to the enactment of a law providing legal backing to the policy.
He said the initiative would signify a significant step towards formalising and sustaining the Free Senior High School Policy.
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Speaking at the ‘State of Education In Ghana’ programme on Wednesday, July 31, 2024, Dr Adutwum said the bill's passage would mean that no child would have the choice to end their education at the basic school level.
He noted that the Free SHS policy has enrolled 1.4 million students since its inception in 2017.
This, he stated, was a marked improvement from the 800,000 students that were enrolled in senior high schools before the Free SHS programme.
Free SHS bill to be passed by parliament
The announcement follows the government’s plan to present the Free Senior High School (SHS) Bill to Parliament, which would bind future governments to the policy.
At a briefing on Tuesday, June 11, Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin said the goal was to make the policy more effective and sustainable.
The passed bill would also make it mandatory for successive governments to implement the policy, Afenyo-Markin added.
"Unless it is repealed, no government would have the right to say, I am not going to enforce Free SHS because now it is law, so if you fail, a citizen can apply to the court as his bona fide, and the court can exact justice in that citizen's favor."
The ruling government expressed concern that a future National Democratic Congress would cancel the Free SHS programme, depriving thousands of young Ghanaians of access to secondary education.
Mahama commits to preserving Free SHS
YEN.com.gh reported that the National Democratic Congress flagbearer, John Mahama, has affirmed his commitment to the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy.
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In an engagement with journalists, Mahama promised to improve it if he is re-elected as president.
“The Free SHS policy has come to stay, and I am committed to improving it,” the former President said.
He once again debunked claims that he was against the policy and insisted that he supports it and only wants to improve it to deal with present challenges. Mahama said he would support the Free SHS Bill, which is yet to be laid before Parliament if it sought to improve and sustain the policy.
Proofread by Berlinda Entside, journalist and copyeditor at YEN.com.gh
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Source: YEN.com.gh
