3.5m Students Benefitted from Free SHS, not 5.7m - Adutwum
Accra, Ghana - 15 Feb, 2025 - Ghana's Free Senior High School policy has achieved significant milestones since its introduction, with 3.5 million students benefiting from the programme according to former Education Minister, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, who corrected earlier estimates that had put the number of beneficiaries at over five million.
Dr. Adutwum attributed the discrepancy to an accounting error, which has since been rectified. Despite the correction, he emphasized the transformative impact of the Free SHS policy on Ghana's education sector.
The policy, introduced by the government, aims to provide free secondary education to all students, irrespective of their financial background. According to Dr. Adutwum, the policy has been instrumental in increasing access to education, particularly for students from low-income families.
In an interview with Joy News’ AM Show on Friday, February 14, Dr Adutwum admitted, “It was some accounting error that happened. Unfortunately, it took us some time to discover that in education, we shouldn’t be using the numbers as so articulated by the finance ministry. There was an error in the figures previously mentioned, and I take full responsibility for that. The correct number of beneficiaries stands at 3.5 million.”
“Free SHS has changed the trajectory of education in Ghana, and we must do everything possible to ensure its continuous improvement.”
“The Free SHS policy has transformed education in Ghana, allowing millions of students to pursue their dreams without the worry of school fees.”
Source: Lead News Online
