Editorial: Free Senior High School, So Far So Good But…

Ghana's Free Senior High School (Free SHS) program has expanded access to secondary education, yet a review by the Centre for Policy Scrutiny (CPS) finds the policy still leaves families with significant educational expenses. The report, "Improved Access, Quality Questioned: A Report on 9 Years of Ghana’s Free Senior High School (SHS) Policy," acknowledges the government's role in covering tuition, boarding, feeding and core learning materials, but identifies hidden costs such as prospectus requirements as ongoing challenges for parents.

The review also raises concerns about educational quality, noting that the double-track system has reduced instructional contact time in some schools, leading to extra fees paid by parents. Schools in categories C and D face overcrowded classrooms, dining hall shortages, food and furniture deficits, deteriorating dormitories and delays in receiving textbooks.

The researchers urge the government to clearly define what "free" entails and specify covered expenses. While acknowledging the policy's success in expanding access, the concerns highlight the disparity between free education on paper and affordable education in practice, particularly for poorer households. The government must address these issues by improving infrastructure, reducing unnecessary charges, and ensuring quality education.