Correct figure for Free SHS beneficiaries is 3.5m, not 5.7m – Former Education Minister admits

Former Education Minister, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, has set the records straight on the number of students who have benefited from the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) programme.

Speaking to Joy News on Friday, February 14, the former Minister noted that the correct number of beneficiaries is 3.5 million and not 5.7 million.

“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,” he explained,” Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum said.

In the interview, Dr. Adutwum described the Free SHS programme as a game-changer for Ghanaian students and their parents, stressing that it is important to maintain and improve the programme.

“Free SHS has been a game-changer for many Ghanaian students and parents. We cannot overlook how it has expanded access to education and given hope to those who previously had limited opportunities.

“Free SHS has changed the trajectory of education in Ghana, and we must do everything possible to ensure its continuous improvement,” the former Education Minister said.

Although there were fears that the new NDC government would cancel the Free SHS programme, President John Dramani Mahama has assured that his government has no plans of cancellation.

He has emphasised that what his government will do is to engage education stakeholders and take steps to improve the programme.