Quality remains unaffected despite increase in enrollment of free SHS implementation – Akufo-Addo
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo expressed his satisfaction with the achievements of the free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy, which he implemented upon assuming office in 2017.
The policy was launched in September 2017 at the West Africa Secondary School in Accra, eight months after President Akufo-Addo took office on January 7, 2017.
Speaking at the 61st Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) in Accra on October 11, 2023, President Akufo-Addo highlighted the significant impact of the free SHS policy. He stated that the policy had prevented approximately one million young students from dropping out of school at the Junior High School level due to financial constraints.
READ MORE: List of over 100 communities affected by Akosombo Dam spillage in Volta Region
President Akufo-Addo emphasized the importance of providing educational opportunities to qualified students who lacked the means to afford school fees. He stressed that allowing such a situation to persist would have resulted in a future of hopelessness for Ghana’s youth, which was unacceptable for the nation.
The President reaffirmed that the introduction of the free senior high school policy in September 2017 was a direct response to this issue. He highlighted that enrollment under the policy had increased from 830,000 to 1.4 million students, enabling the retention of approximately 100,000 students who would have otherwise dropped out annually.
President Akufo-Addo also addressed concerns about the quality of education under the free SHS policy. He assured that despite the increase in enrollment, the quality of education had not declined. On the contrary, he claimed that the academic performance of students, referred to as the “Akufo-Addo graduates,” had improved compared to the pre-policy period.
READ ALSO: Excerpts of Free SHS Policy: Facts and Figures over myths
Citing specific results, President Akufo-Addo mentioned that the 2022 WASSCE results showed significant improvement. In English, 60.39% of students achieved grades A1 to C6, compared to 51.6% in 2016. In Integrated Science, the percentage of students achieving A1 to C6 increased from 48.35% in 2016 to 62.45% in 2022, with a slight regression from the 2021 pass rate of 65.7%.
The performance in Mathematics also saw a notable improvement, with 61.39% of students achieving A1 to C6, compared to 33.12% in 2016. Additionally, 71.51% of students achieved A1 to C6 in social studies, compared to 54.5% in 2016.
SOURCE: Coverghana.com.gh
