Education think tank, Africa Education Watch has reveal the transformative impact of Ghana’s Free Senior High School (SHS) initiative, implemented in 2017.
In a ‘Financial Burden Analysis of the Free SHS Policy and Implications on Equitable Access,’ the report reveals a significant increase in enrollment, with over 5.7 million children benefitting from the program.
According to Eduwatch, Since the inception of free SHS, enrollment in secondary schools has soared from 813,448 in the 2016/17 academic year to a staggering 1.3 million by the end of the 2022/23 academic year.
“This surge marks a remarkable 50% boost in enrollment, demonstrating the initiative’s success in providing access to education for Ghanaian youth.”
The report highlights the substantial difference the Free SHS policy has made, with an average of 422,940 students enrolled annually in the first six years of the program, compared to just 260,490 in the six years preceding its implementation.
However, amidst these gains, challenges persist. The report notes that 194,862 candidates were unable to attend second-cycle schools between the 2019/20 and 2022/23 academic years, indicating ongoing barriers to education access in Ghana.
As Ghana continues to prioritize education reform, the report underscores the importance of ongoing monitoring and addressing these challenges to ensure equitable access to education for all Ghanaian children.
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