IFEST Calls for Free SHS Policy Review Amid Funding Challenges
The Institute for Education Studies (IFEST) has urged the government to review the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy, suggesting that parents should contribute to the programme’s costs to ensure its sustainability and effectiveness.
This recommendation follows concerns raised by the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) over delayed funds critical for the smooth operation of schools. In a communiqué signed by CHASS National Secretary Primus Baro, the group cited unpaid arrears for perishable items, utility bills, and other essentials, which are obstructing preparations for the 2025 academic year.
CHASS referred to multiple unfulfilled assurances from the Ministry of Education, including those made during a Zoom meeting with the Education Minister on December 18, 2024. They warned that without the immediate release of funds, reopening schools on January 3, 2025, could be jeopardized, impacting infrastructure, student welfare, and the quality of education.
Addressing the issue on Channel One Newsroom, Patrick Danquah, Deputy Director of IFEST, stressed the importance of reassessing the Free SHS programme.
“Free SHS needs to be reviewed so that they can relook at the element of taking part of the cost and allowing the parents who were handling the costs better to continue to handle it the way they did,” he said.
The Free SHS policy, introduced in 2017, has faced recurring challenges, including funding gaps and logistical delays. Stakeholders argue that a cost-sharing model could ease the financial burden on the government while maintaining the programme’s accessibility.
As schools prepare for the 2025 academic year, the call for a policy review has reignited debates on balancing education accessibility with financial sustainability.
