In response to criticism against the governing New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) government flagship policy, Free Senior High School, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said that individuals who can afford private school fees should send their wards to private institutions.
He made this suggestion during the 2024/2025 Annual General Conference of the Ghana Bar Association in Kumasi on Monday, September 9, 2024.
President Akufo-Addo reiterated that public schools funded by taxpayers must remain free for all, especially those who would otherwise be unable to afford secondary education.
“People who can afford to pay fees for the education of their wards should send them to fee-paying private schools. Public schools that are funded by the taxpayer should be free to all who will otherwise be unable to pay for their education.
“That is why the number of pupils who have access to secondary education has doubled since the introduction of the free senior high school policy.”
“Over 5.7 million persons have benefitted from the policy since its inception. The following impact of this dramatic development will be felt in due course and will far outweigh the small number of privileged parents who can afford to pay for the education of their wards,” he stated.
Meanwhile speaking at the conference, the President of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), Yaw Acheampong Boafo, called on government to reconsider the Free SHS policy, proposing that, well to do families should be allowed to pay fees to fund the less privileged students.
