The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has called for a review of Ghana’s Free Senior High School (SHS) policy, suggesting that families who can afford to pay for their children’s education should be allowed to do so.
He believes that this would help direct government resources to students who truly need financial assistance. Reflecting on past scholarship systems, Otumfuo highlighted how bursaries once targeted needy students, while those who could afford to pay did so.
During a meeting with the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, Otumfuo also raised concerns about the current state of the Free SHS policy, particularly regarding food shortages, overcrowded dormitories, and the lack of essential facilities like science and ICT labs.
He stressed that if students are frequently sent home due to such issues, the policy isn’t fulfilling its intended purpose. Additionally, he pointed out that in some schools, Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) have had to step in to provide support.
Otumfuo emphasized the importance of improving the implementation of the policy to ensure students have the resources they need to stay in school and succeed.
