Otumfuo hails Free SHS as boldest social intervention of Fourth Republic
The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has described Ghana’s Free Senior High School (SHS) programme as the most ambitious social intervention initiative of the Fourth Republic.
He made these remarks while speaking at a ceremony at the University of Cape Coast (UCC) on Thursday (5 September) where he was awarded an honorary doctorate for his significant contributions to nation-building, peace and development.
Reflecting on the history of free education in Ghana, the Asantehene noted that pre-independence programmes had focused on primary education and, later, university education. However, secondary education had long been left unaddressed because of financial constraints on the state.
“There is no doubt that the Free Senior High School programme is the most audacious piece of social intervention in our Fourth Republic,” Otumfuo said.
“The pre-independence programme for free education covered primary education and later the university; the secondary sector was beyond the capacity of the state.
“None of the reforms since had dared move the dial through that phase; the decision to take the plan, therefore, had to be truly ambitious, and it is no wonder it has kept education at the top of national discourse.”
Fundamental rights
The Asantehene said providing Free SHS aligns with Ghana’s duty to ensure access to basic education for all citizens.
“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 by the government of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in 2017, remains a key issue in national discussions on education, with many praising its impact on accessibility while others debate its sustainability.
