Former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Prof Ernest Aryeetey, has revealed that the most appropriate way to implement government’s flagship programme, the Free Senior High School policy, is by means-testing.

Prof Aryeetey indicated that means-testing will help cut down cost of providing tuition for students by the government. This, he explained, can be achieved once government targets some specific persons with identified needs to cater for their tuition. He noted that some Senior High Schools should be allowed to demand fees while others made free.

“I believe strongly that we need to target people, and the most appropriate way is by means-testing. Means testing by the government will reduce the cost of tuition to the government and the monies saved channelled to improving the facilities and providing quality service. We have to find ways of pursuing what best works in our environment. Instead of making SHSs free, why don’t we make some free and others payable.”
Prof Ernest Aryeetey

The former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana indicated that with this, the parents get to make a decision “based on their strength”.

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“Even with the schools that are not free, scholarship opportunities could be created to allow people who are not financially strong to compete for them. That way, we can drag everyone along; poor or rich.”
Prof Ernest Aryeetey

Review of Free SHS policy

Over the period, there have been calls for government to review the Free SHS policy, due to its impact on the country’s resources although access has drastically improved. That notwithstanding, government insists the programme will remain despite the challenges in the release of funds to the various Senior High Schools.

Professor Stephen Adei, a former Rector at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), — Professor Stephen Adei, a former Rector at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA).

Prior to this, Economist and former Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission, Professor Stephen Adei had called for a review of the Free Senior High School policy. Prof Adei explained that in spite of the appreciable advantages of the Senior High School policy, the already worsened economy is being stretched by the policy due to government’s allocation to the policy every year.

Prof Adei then noted that the government must exempt some best Senior High Schools in the country from the policy.

“We have to look at it again. I think that there are certain schools which we should make autonomous and fee-paying and people will go there, but then make sure there are good community schools for everybody else. So the Achimota’s and the Wey Gey Hey’s, which people want their children to go, let them pay.”
Prof Stephen Adei

Stakeholders including the opposition NDC, have urged the government to take another look at the Free SHS program and consider expenditure cuts among others to save the country some monies. Also, other civil society organizations have called for a review of the programme including suggestions that the programme should be limited to persons who are genuinely poor and unable to fund their secondary education.

However, the finance minister, Ken Ofori Atta, speaking at a press briefing on Thursday, March 24, 2022, revealed that there’s no intention by government to review any of it’s policies. The finance minister opined that the President considers education as the best and enabling force for sustainable economic growth, transformation, and social mobility. This, he explained, imposes more responsibility on government to do more to improve on the policy and serve more children.