Yaw Osafo-Maafo, the senior advisor to President Nana Akufo-Addo, has declared that the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) programme will continue despite Ghana’s need to undertake an International Monetary Fund (IMF) adjustment programme.
He said the government’s investment in Free SHS will deepen access to and the quality of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education in Ghana, ensuring that all children acquire literacy and numeracy skills at grade 4, with the added opportunity for out-of-school children to access basic education.
The policy will also provide Ghanaian youth with 21st-century skills to boost their global competitiveness, increase access to tertiary education in all regions, improve learning outcomes at all levels, and increase access to teacher trainee education, the former senior minister said.
Osafo-Maafo was speaking at celebrations to mark this year’s National Education Week, which is on the theme: “Reassessing educational policies for effective service delivery and national transformation”.
He said the government had contributed significantly to the growth and development of human capital in Ghana since January 2017 by making huge investments in education.
“The government has spent on average between 4.5% and 4.6% its gross domestic product and between 17.6% and 24% of the national budget on education between 2019 and 2021,” Osafo-Maafo said.
“The share of government expenditure on education increased marginally from 73.4% in 2019 to 74.0% in 2020,” he said.
“I reject as false the argument that our economy cannot support these programmes. The challenges we are witnessing in our economy are short term and we cannot afford to sacrifice our common vision due to short-term economic pressures.
“I must say that the debate should not be whether our public expenditure is too high or too low. The debate should be and must be whether or not these programmes contribute to the welfare of Ghanaians and are essential for our national transformation,” he said.
Osafo-Maafo stated that the Free SHS policy had promoted access to secondary education and that enrolment at SHS level had increased from fewer than 900,000 students in the 2016/17 academic year to more than 1.2 million in 2020/21.
The gross enrolment rate in senior high schools across Ghana reached 95% in 2020/21, up from 50% in the year before the government introduced Free SHS, 2016/17.
Asaase Radio 99.5 broadcasts on radio via 99.5 in Accra, 98.5 in Kumasi, 99.7 in Tamale, 100.3 in Cape Coast and on our affiliates Bawku FM 101.5 in Bawku, Beats FM 99.9 in Bimbilla, Somua FM 89.9 in Gushegu, Stone City 90.7 in Ho, Mining City 89.5 in Tarkwa and Wale FM 106.9 in Walewale
Tune in or log on to broadcasts online: www.asaaseradio.com, Sound Garden and TuneIn
Follow us on Twitter: @asaaseradio995
Live streaming: facebook.com/asaaseradio99.5. Also on YouTube: Asaase Radio Official.
Join the conversation. Call: 020 000 9951 or 059 415 7777. Or WhatsApp: 020 000 0995.
#AsaaseRadio
