Ghana’s Free SHS Policy: Effectiveness, Efficiency and the Way Forward

Overview of the Free SHS Policy

The Free Senior High School (FSHS) policy, launched in Ghana in 2017, aims to enhance access to quality secondary education by eliminating the financial barriers that hinder many students from pursuing higher education. This groundbreaking initiative aligns with Ghana’s broader educational reforms, building on earlier policies such as the Accelerated Education Plan (1957) and the Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE, 1995). The initiative further reflects Ghana’s commitment to achieving United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), which emphasizes inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all.

While the program has been celebrated for increasing access to education and enhancing literacy levels, it has also prompted discussions about its effectiveness and efficiency in achieving its goals and SDG 4. 

Effectiveness of the Free SHS Policy

The  FSHS policy aimed to provide universal access to secondary education, relieve parents of secondary education financial burden, improve infrastructure, and equip citizens with skills for economic development  (Duflo,  Dupas  &  Kremer,  2021).  It is worth noting that the FSHS policy has achieved significant strides in improving access to secondary education. Enrolment increased from 308,799 in 2016 to over 1.2 million in 2023, highlighting its success and inclusivity, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds. By covering tuition, feeding, and accommodation, the policy has eased the financial burden on many parents, making secondary education more accessible. 

However, despite these gains, parents still incur substantial expenses for items like PTA dues, uniforms, prospectus lists, provisions, transportation and extra classes, which vary depending on the school and location. As of 2023, a parent with two children spent approximately GH₵7,000 to cover the prospectus and related costs for sending one child to school in Kumasi and GH₵10,000 for another child attending school in Accra. This partial financial relief underscores the progress made while highlighting the financial commitment parents require to complement the FSHS policy. 

Reports from university lecturers at institutions such as the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and the University of Ghana, alongside findings from the All Teachers Alliance Ghana, reveal that many FSHS graduates with excellent WASSCE results struggle academically at the tertiary level. Some students display significant deficiencies in basic skills, raising concerns about the credibility of their grades. This situation has sparked debates over whether the use of WASSCE performance as a key performance indicator for headteachers incentivizes examination malpractice. Additionally, the government’s provision of past questions to students, while well-intentioned, may inadvertently promote rote learning and over-reliance on memorization strategies rather than fostering critical thinking and comprehensive understanding. These systemic issues undermine the FSHS policy’s ability to equip students with the requisite knowledge and skills for economic development, highlighting the need for reforms that prioritize educational quality and lifelong learning.

Efficiency of the Free SHS Policy

Since the inception of the FSHS policy, the Ghanaian government has invested approximately GH¢7.62 billion (around $1.3 billion) in covering tuition, textbooks, meals, and other expenses to address barriers to secondary education access (GES, 2023). While this significant financial commitment has increased enrolment, concerns about the policy’s outcomes persist. Many FSHS graduates struggle academically in universities, raising questions about the quality of education and preparedness at the secondary level. Additionally, students who are unable to transition to tertiary institutions often lack practical and basic skills to contribute meaningfully to society and the economy. These challenges prompt critical reflection on whether the substantial resource investment is yielding the desired returns in terms of equipping students with the knowledge and skills needed for higher education and societal functionality.

The Free Senior High School (FSHS) policy’s universal approach, as noted by Acquah et al. (2024), lacks a needs-based framework, resulting in inefficiencies by extending benefits to wealthy households that do not require financial assistance. Furthermore, the adoption of the double-track system (green and yellow tracks) and the shift system (first-years vs. second-years) in some schools to manage limited school infrastructure has led to a significant reduction in contact hours. Some students spend up to six months at home annually, disrupting the continuity of learning. This arrangement often compels parents to fund extra tuition to compensate for lost learning time, placing an additional financial strain on families. Students from low-income households or remote areas who lack access to extra tuition are disproportionately disadvantaged, which negatively impacts their academic performance and the sustainability of lifelong learning.

 Consequently, this prolonged holiday forced many students to complete secondary education in less than two years before sitting for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE). The compressed academic timeline compromises their learning and readiness for university education, ultimately affecting education quality.

The Way Forward

A comprehensive review of the FSHS policy is necessary to address its challenges and optimize its impact. Improving students’ contact hours is critical, with measures to ensure they spend no more than a month at home each term, thereby enhancing equitable access to consistent learning opportunities regardless of students’ economic or geographical backgrounds. This calls for significant infrastructure investment, including expanding and improving existing facilities and aligning admissions with schools’ infrastructure capacity. Additionally, prioritizing technical and vocational education is essential to equip students with practical skills for life after high school, especially for those unable to transition to tertiary institutions.

Furthermore, the use of WASSCE performance as a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) for headteachers should be reviewed. Emphasis should shift toward ensuring that students receive adequate instructional time, proper academic support, and discipline to foster genuine learning rather than incentivizing exam malpractices to meet performance metrics. This would enhance the quality of education and better prepare students for tertiary education and beyond. Allowing families who can afford to contribute financially to secondary education would provide additional resources to address challenges faced by the FSHS policy, thereby improving its sustainability and delivery quality.

Conclusion

The Free Senior High School (FSHS) policy is undeniably a transformative initiative that has significantly improved access to education in Ghana and holds the potential to increase national literacy levels. However, its implementation has faced considerable challenges, particularly in ensuring quality education and adequately preparing graduates for success in tertiary education and beyond. These challenges undermine the policy’s effectiveness and efficiency in achieving its intended goals of equitable access and skill development. Therefore, a comprehensive review of the policy is essential to address these issues and enhance its capacity to deliver on its promises of inclusive and high-quality education for all.

By: Huzeima Mahamadu (Research, Project Management and Content Creation)