President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has firmly rejected calls for the Free SHS policy to be targeted, suggesting that affluent families who can afford school fees should consider enrolling their children in private schools.
Addressing recent criticism of the policy, including suggestions from the President of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), Yaw Acheampong Boafo, who urged the government to allow wealthier families to pay fees, Akufo-Addo maintained the government's commitment to keeping Free SHS intact.
He highlighted the transformative impact of the policy, noting that over 5.7 million students have benefited since its introduction.
The president emphasized that the long-term effects of Free SHS will be profound, providing greater opportunities for all students regardless of their background. "People who can afford to pay fees for the education of their wards should send them to fee-paying private schools.
Public schools that are funded by the taxpayer should be free to all who will otherwise be unable to pay for their education.
That is why the number of pupils who have access to secondary education has doubled since the introduction of the free senior high school policy," he stated.
He continued: Over 5.7 million persons have benefitted from the policy since its inception.
The following impact of this dramatic development will be felt in due course and will far outweigh the small number of privileged parents who can afford to pay for the education of their wards," he stated.