Free SHS is here to stay — Education Minister

The Minister of Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, has assured that the Free SHS is here to stay. 

The Free SHS initiative was an important policy introduced by the Nana Addo led government after winning the 2016 general elections.

The minister posited that; the policy was implemented to bring equity and improve accessibility to secondary education for all Ghanaian children.

This year, the Free SHS policy will produce the second batch of the Akufo Addo graduates who are expected to sit for the WASSCE in September – October.

This he said has ensured that funding is no longer a barrier to accessing education in the country.

“the government will continue to make available the right resources to ensure that all schools have what is required to support effective teaching and learning at all times, irrespective of their location”. He remarked.

The ministers made the pronouncements when he was on a surprise visit to the Central Region last Friday while monitoring the adherence to the COVID-19 protocols.

As part of the visit, he monitored other important areas such as the implementation of the free SHS policy, and teaching, learning, as well as assessment.

The schools he visited were Wesley Girls High School, Academy of Christ the King SHS, Holy Child School, and St Augustine’s College. During the visit, Dr. Adutwum donated five pianos to selected basic schools in the Cape Coast Municipality.

He admonished students to be focused in school and at home and nurture brighter and better futures for themselves; that their studies held the key to Ghana’s development.

Read: Pay teachers well, stop the allowance deception – Kofi Akpaloo tells Nana Addo

The Minister said huge investments have been made in the education sector, and the hard work of students will ensure it does not go to waste. 

Schools were assured of the Ministry’s support for the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) to support in an effort to find a lasting solution to the encroachment of school lands in the region.