‘Free SHS education’ was a campaign message of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) during the 2012 Presidential and Parliamentary elections.
The NPP promised to implement a free education policy for every Senior High School (SHS) student.
However, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) insisted that instead of free education, emphasis must be placed on 'quality education'.
But delivering his State of the Nation Address in Parliament on Tuesday, 25th February 2014, President John Dramani Mahama announced the abolishing of fees in Day Senior High Schools by 2015/1016 academic year by stating that his administration will soon ‘introduce’ free SHS in Ghana, albeit "progressively".
He said the Ministry of Education in “consultation with other stakeholders has prepared a report on the roadmap for a progressive introduction of free secondary education in Ghana as required under the 1992 constitution”.
According to him, “this roadmap will be presented to cabinet for approval and subsequent implementation. Under the guidance of this roadmap, we can anticipate that fees for day students will be abolished at an estimated cost of GHȻ71 million in 2015/2016 academic year...Architectural drawings, designs and quantities have been completed. Sites for the schools have been selected and the procurement process for the first batch of schools is ongoing."
"We must make education a priority again. The students of this nation deserve to have the confidence that comes from knowing that the education they are receiving will adequately prepare them to navigate this competitive global workplace" President Mahama added.
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