The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has hailed Ghana’s Free Senior High School (SHS) policy as the boldest social intervention of the Fourth Republic. His remarks came during a ceremony at the University of Cape Coast (UCC) on Thursday, 5 September, where he received an honorary doctorate in recognition of his remarkable contributions to national development, peace, and progress.
Reflecting on the history of free education in Ghana, the Asantehene pointed out that while pre-independence initiatives focused on primary and tertiary education, secondary education had long been neglected due to the state’s financial limitations.
“There is no doubt that the Free Senior High School programme is the most audacious piece of social intervention in our Fourth Republic,” Otumfuo stated.
“Pre-independence programmes for free education focused on primary education and later extended to university education, but secondary education remained out of reach.”
He noted that no prior educational reforms had dared to address the gap in secondary education, making the Free SHS policy a groundbreaking step.
“The decision to tackle this challenge had to be truly ambitious, and it’s no surprise that it has remained central to the national conversation on education,” he added.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II further noted that Free SHS aligns with the government’s responsibility to guarantee access to basic education for every citizen. He argued that to remain competitive in the global economy, Ghana must ensure its children receive the same level of basic education as their peers worldwide.
“If we are preparing our children to compete in the global economy of today, then they should be entitled to the same level of basic education as children in other climes. Since basic education elsewhere encompasses secondary high school, it is only fair that we also upgrade our basic education. In that sense, therefore, offering free senior high school is doing no more than meeting the obligation to provide the basic education for all,” Otumfuo said.
The Free SHS policy, introduced in 2017 by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s government, continues to spark national debate. While it has been widely praised for increasing access to education, concerns remain about its long-term sustainability.
By: Ekow Annan/newsalertgh.com
