Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has characterized the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) initiative, which was launched under former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, as the most significant social intervention enacted during Ghana’s Fourth Republic.
During his address at the Young Commons Forum at the University of Cape Coast on Saturday, February 21, the Effutu Member of Parliament remarked that despite ongoing public discussions regarding the policy, its influence on educational accessibility throughout the nation is indisputable.
Afenyo-Markin stated that the initiative has fundamentally transformed the secondary education landscape by providing opportunities to students who previously encountered financial barriers.
He emphasized that while public policies frequently face criticism, the magnitude and impact of the Free SHS distinguish it as a pivotal legacy of the Akufo-Addo administration.
He contended that the programme’s transformative influence is evident in the opportunities it has afforded to thousands of families, especially those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
“The critics may be vocal and express their opinions about the Free SHS, but undeniably, it remains the most representative social intervention of the Akufo-Addo administration. Furthermore, it is undoubtedly the most impactful social intervention in Ghana’s Fourth Republic.
“By eliminating financial barriers at the secondary education level, the policy significantly broadened access to education for thousands of students from low-income households who would have otherwise been excluded from senior high school.”
The Free SHS programme was launched in 2017, shortly after former President Akufo-Addo took office, as part of a wider commitment to reducing inequality in educational access and cultivating a more skilled and competitive workforce for the nation.
Since its implementation, the policy has allowed hundreds of thousands of students to register in senior high schools across the country, transforming educational engagement trends and emerging as one of the most prominent initiatives of the administration.
