President Akufo-Addo has reiterated his support for the free SHS policy, advising wealthy families to consider enrolling their children in private institutions.
Speaking at the 2024/2025 Annual General Conference of the Ghana Bar Association in Kumasi, the President noted that the policy is aimed at providing equal access to quality education for those who cannot afford secondary school fees.
“People who can afford to pay fees for the education of their wards should send them to fee-paying private schools,” the President affirmed.
“Public schools that are funded by the taxpayer should be free to all who will otherwise be unable to pay for their education,” he added.
Yaw Acheampong Boafo, President of the association, suggested that affluent parents contribute to the cost of the policy to alleviate the burden on the national budget, allowing the government to allocate more resources to those in need.
President Akufo-Addo commended the success of the Free SHS policy, noting a significant increase in the number of students enrolling in senior high schools since its inception, with approximately 5.7 million beneficiaries to date.
He expressed the importance of affluent families paying fees to ease the strain on the national budget.
The President expressed satisfaction with the continuous growth of the Free SHS policy, which has seen a steady rise in enrollment numbers each academic year compared to previous years.
Source: Osei -Tutu Esther Kumah, Student, Kumasi Technical University (KsTU).
