Free SHS has increased secondary school enrollment by over 600,000 — Bawumia

The Vice President and NPP flagbearer, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has revealed that Ghana's Free Senior High School policy has increased secondary school enrollment in the country by over 600,000 students in the past 7 years.

Dr Bawumia disclosed this in an address he delivered as the special guest of honor at the grand durbar of the Fetu Afahye held in Cape Coast on Saturday, September 7.

"From the 800,000 total enrollment in 2017, Free SHS enrollment has now increased to 1.4 million, an increase in enrollment of over 600,000 in 7 years of implementation," the Vice President said.

He emphasized that without the Free SHS policy, many of the over 600,000 additional students who have gained access to secondary education would not have been in school.

The Vice President noted that prior to 2017, access to secondary education remained a dream for many Ghanaian children as their parents could not afford the fees.

He said some parents had to sell valuable assets just to fund their wards' secondary education.

However, Dr Bawumia indicated that since the Akufo-Addo government introduced the Free SHS policy in 2017, that barrier has been removed. Now every Ghanaian child has equal access to secondary education regardless of socio-economic status.

The Vice President used the occasion to encourage parents and students yet to enroll in the Free SHS program, especially this year's BECE graduates, to take advantage of the opportunity.

He assured of government's commitment to sustaining and enhancing the Free SHS policy for the benefit of Ghanaian children and the country's future.