Over 5.7m students have benefited from Free SHS since 2017 – Akufo-Addo

6th November 2024

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During his tour of the Western North Region on Tuesday, November 5, President Nana Akufo-Addo highlighted the achievements of the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) program, noting that over 5.7 million students have benefited since its launch in 2017.

The President emphasized that the program has been instrumental in improving Ghana’s education system, allowing more students to pursue higher education.

President Akufo-Addo acknowledged that while there are challenges in implementing Free SHS, the benefits have far outweighed the obstacles.

He pointed out that the initiative has provided a critical opportunity for students who otherwise would not have been able to progress from the basic to the senior high level due to financial constraints.

The President further noted that the program’s impact is particularly significant for families across the nation who previously struggled to afford senior high school fees.

According to him, Free SHS has not only increased access to education but has also uplifted communities by giving young Ghanaians a chance to improve their future prospects through education.

In his remarks, Akufo-Addo criticized those he referred to as “Jeremiahs” who doubted his promise to implement Free SHS when it was first proposed.

He expressed satisfaction that the program has proven its critics wrong, reaffirming his commitment to expanding educational opportunities for Ghanaian youth.

“In the first place, before I became President, every year over 100,000 children graduating from Junior High School were not able to continue to SHS—even if they passed—because of their parents’ financial challenges.”

“So, in ten years, over 1,000,000 kids were unable to proceed in their educational transition. But today, because of the Free SHS, which started in 2017, the changes in our educational system are dramatic.”

“When I assumed the reins of government, we had 800,000 students in senior high school. Today, that figure has doubled, with 5.7 million students benefiting from the Free SHS policy.”