Free SHS Is Not Free -CPS

A new review by the Centre for Policy Scrutiny (CPS) has revealed that Ghana's Free Senior High School (Free SHS) programme, while significantly increasing access to secondary education, has also created new financial burdens for families. Dr Jacob Oppong Nkansah, the lead researcher, presented the report "Improved Access, Quality Questioned: A Report on 9 Years of Ghana’s Free Senior High School (SHS) Policy" on Tuesday, September 2026.

The policy, which removed tuition fees and provided government coverage for boarding, feeding, and core learning materials, has indeed provided financial relief to many households. However, it has also introduced new challenges in the form of prospectus requirements and other hidden costs that families must still bear.

The study found that the double-track system, introduced to handle the surge in enrolments, has led to reduced instructional contact time for students. This has prompted some parents to pay for additional tutoring to ensure their children receive adequate education. Regarding quality, the report highlights concerns about overcrowded classrooms, dining halls, and dormitories, particularly in Category C and D schools, which have weaker existing resources. These conditions, the report warns, pose health and wellbeing risks for students.

Dr Adu Owusu Sarkodie, speaking on behalf of the CPS, defended the Free SHS programme as one of the most transformative social initiatives of Ghana's Fourth Republic. He emphasized the policy's social, economic, and human-capital benefits, including poverty reduction and improved productivity and incomes across various sectors. However, he acknowledged that congestion due to increased enrolments is an issue that needs addressing through reforms, rather than abandoning the policy.

The CPS report concludes that for the Free SHS programme's future, addressing equity, quality, and governance gaps is paramount, rather than reversing the gains already achieved.