Speaking in an interview with Voice of America (VOA), Mr. Mahama dismissed claims made by officials of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) during the campaign that he intended to scrap the programme. He emphasized that Free SHS is here to stay but requires improved funding and efficiency.
“Free SHS has come to stay, and it is not going anywhere,” Mahama said. “Nobody is going to scrap Free SHS. What was said was political talk and gimmickry. We are going to maintain it. What we are going to do is get dedicated funding for it so that it is better resourced than it is currently.”
Mahama noted that inefficiencies in the programme had led to waste, which he plans to address to enhance its effectiveness for teachers, parents, and students.
Beyond secondary education, the President-elect highlighted the dire state of basic education in Ghana, which he said has been neglected due to the emphasis on Free SHS.
“We’re going to look at the basic school level too,” Mahama stated. “Because we have focused on Free SHS, we are abandoning the basic level, and so the basic level is becoming a major problem. 1.3 million pupils at the basic level do not have furniture. They don’t have tables and chairs to sit on. They lie on their stomachs in the classroom or sit on cement blocks.”
To tackle these issues, Mahama announced plans to convene a National Education Forum that will bring together stakeholders from various sectors to evaluate the education system comprehensively and develop solutions.
“This forum will include everyone—non-partisan, all stakeholders from all walks of life,” Mahama said. “We will look at the entire education value chain and make important decisions by consensus to reform education for better quality and access.”
Background on Free SHS
Introduced in 2017 by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the Free SHS programme provides free tuition, boarding, and meals for students in public senior high schools. It has significantly increased access to secondary education, particularly for students from underprivileged backgrounds. However, issues such as overcrowding, inadequate infrastructure, and delayed funding have marred its implementation.
Mahama plans to address these challenges while maintaining the programme’s core benefits, ensuring that it remains a cornerstone of Ghana’s educational system.
Mahama’s pledge to preserve and improve Free SHS was a central theme of his campaign, resonating with voters concerned about education access and quality. His resounding victory in the December 7 elections, where he secured 6,328,397 votes (56.55%) against Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s 4,657,304 votes (41.61%), underscored public confidence in his vision for the country’s education sector.
As Ghana awaits the formal transition of power, many are hopeful that Mahama’s reforms will strike a balance between expanding access and enhancing quality across all levels of education.
