Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene, has lauded Ghana’s Free Senior High School (SHS) programme as the most ambitious social intervention of the Fourth Republic.
Speaking at the University of Cape Coast (UCC) on Thursday, where he was awarded an honorary doctorate for his significant contributions to nation-building, peace, and development, the Asantehene reflected on the history of education in Ghana.
He noted that before independence, free education efforts primarily focused on primary and later university levels, while secondary education had long been neglected due to financial constraints.
“There is no doubt that the free senior high school programme is the most audacious piece of social intervention in our Fourth Republic,” the Asantehene remarked.
He highlighted that while pre-independence educational reforms addressed primary and university education, secondary education was often beyond the state’s capacity.
“None of the reforms since had dared to address that phase; the decision to implement this plan had to be truly ambitious, and it is no wonder it has kept education at the top of national discourse,” he added.
The Asantehene emphasized that providing Free SHS aligns with Ghana’s commitment to ensuring access to primary education for all its citizens.
“If we are preparing our children to compete in today’s global economy, then they should be entitled to the same level of basic education as children in other climates,” he said.
He further argued that since primary education elsewhere includes secondary high schools, it is only fair that Ghana also upgrades its primary education.
“In that sense, therefore, offering free senior high school is doing no more than meeting the obligation to provide basic education for all,” the Asantehene concluded.
Introduced in 2017 by President Nana Akufo-Addo’s administration, the Free SHS policy remains a central topic in national education discussions. Supporters praise its impact on accessibility, while critics question its sustainability.
