Impacts of Free SHS Policy on Students’ Performance

The free Senior High School (SHS) policy, implemented in 2017 by the government of Ghana was aimed at increasing access to secondary school education in Ghana. This policy has set a platform for many young Ghanaians to have a least level certification to be Secondary School Certificate and it has decrease the percentage of illiteracy rate in the country. However, this initiative by the government has had a far reaching consequences on students’ performance with both positive and negative effects.

On the positive side, this policy has enabled the enrollment of a significant number of Ghanaian students into various secondary schools in the country, providing opportunities for many who could not afford secondary school education to pursue courses that interests them. Also, this policy has reduced drastically, the financial burden of parents and guardians on secondary school education, which has allowed them to invest in other essential needs of the family. This has reduced the number of young boys and girls who drop out of school to be on the streets due to financial problems since almost all their secondary school expenses have been taken care of by the government; allowing them to concentrate on their academics. Additionally, this policy has not only increase the enrolment of the youth into secondary schools, but in a way, it has also help in bridging the gap between the poor and rich, giving them all free access to secondary school education including free text books and other learning materials. This has far promoted equity and inclusivity in education which has help improve learning outcomes among students.

However, the surge in enrollment of students into these secondary schools has led to overcrowding in classrooms, putting pressure on resources and has affected the quality of education. This increased students and classroom population has also put pressure on teachers and has led to a shortage of qualified facilitators leading to a decline in the overall performance of students’ due to ineffective classroom control. Also, the double track system associated with the free SHS policy ran by these schools as a result of overcrowding in these schools has had a significant effect on students’ morals, academic seriousness and academic performance. Considering the short time spent in school by these children due to the double track system, teachers are not able to cover more than half of the syllabus which has been a great factor which has affected students’ performance negatively. Additionally, the free SHS policy has set easy grounds for students to pursue courses that they may not meet the required standards, yet they are pursuing it because they have seen others reading same course. This has led to a drastic decline in the overall performance of such students leading to poor academic outcomes. Overcrowding in secondary schools as a result of the Free SHS policy has also result in food crisis in these senior high schools which has given rise to hunger issues within these schools. This has far affected students’ performance negatively because most of these students’ are not able to concentrate on studies with empty stomachs. The Free Senior High School policy by the government has given rise to lack of seriousness on the part of both teachers and students. This is because teachers used to get little money from schools, text books and others but with the free education policy, parents are cautioned not to pay any amount when going for admission for their ward. This has led many teachers to find “side hustles” which they term as “galamsey’” to earn extra monies to support them; giving a little attention to their teaching roles in these public Senior High Schools. Some students on the other hand, have developed an unserious attitude towards schooling since they have put in no financial effort in their secondary education. This unserious attitude by both teachers and students has resulted in a poor academic performance by students

To maximize the policy’s benefits, the government must address the challenges. This involve investing in infrastructure development such as building more classrooms and schools which will help accommodate the enrolled students. Also, the government should recruit more qualified facilitators to ensure suitable student-teacher ratio to ensure that students receive adequate attention. To add to, the government should implement effective monitoring systems to track students’ progress and identify areas of improve. Not forgetting, the government should provide more incentives to motivate teachers to put out their best in enhancing student performance. And lastly, the government should ensure the provision of adequate food stuffs to feed the students.

By addressing these challenges, Ghana can harness the full potential of the free SHS policy, empowering students to reach their full potential.

Authors: Abdulai Muntaka Mohammed, Amofa Gideon, Osei Ebenezer & Donkor Rexford.