National Education Forum calls for urgent overhaul of Ghana’s education system and Free SHS Policy

The National Education Forum Committee has presented a comprehensive report to the Presidency recommending bold reforms aimed at resolving long-standing challenges in Ghana’s education sector and ensuring the long-term viability of the Free Senior High School (SHS) programme.

Submitted in June 2025, the report flags several systemic issues, including widespread examination malpractice, delayed funding, overcrowded classrooms, and an overly centralised administration under the Ghana Education Service (GES). The report also questions whether the Free SHS policy, in its current form, can be sustained without major restructuring.

Committee Chair, Professor George K.T. Oduro, stressed that the recommendations were the result of extensive nationwide consultations.

“We didn't sit in Accra and write a report,” Prof. Oduro said in an interview with Radio Gold on Monday, June 9, 2025. “We travelled, we listened, and we shaped our proposals around the reality on the ground.”

Over four months, the committee engaged more than 5,000 stakeholders across all 16 regions, including students, teachers, parents, education officers, civil society organisations, and traditional leaders.

One of the most alarming issues highlighted is the rising scale of exam malpractice. In 2023 alone, over 587,000 subject papers were reportedly compromised. Among them, 10,000 were cancelled due to confirmed cheating—ranging from the use of artificial intelligence to students submitting identical essays.

Education consultant and committee member Dr. Samuel Awuku expressed concern over the trend.

“We are proposing biometric verification for invigilators and stricter penalties for offenders,” he said. “If we don't act, the credibility of our certificates will continue to decline.”

On the Free SHS programme, the report acknowledges that access has improved dramatically, with enrolment up nearly 60% since 2015. However, this success has come at a cost: infrastructure, staffing, and teaching materials have not expanded quickly enough to meet the growing demand.

“Infrastructure, textbooks, and teaching staff have not kept pace with the growth in numbers,” Prof. Oduro noted.

To relieve the burden on the state, the committee proposes a boarding voucher system. Parents who can afford to pay would contribute toward their children’s boarding costs, while the state would continue to fully support students from low-income backgrounds. The report also suggests the government consider means-testing in future to better target subsidies.

Another major recommendation concerns the decentralisation of the GES. The report criticises the current bureaucratic model, which concentrates decision-making power in Accra, leaving district and regional offices with limited authority over recruitment, school management, and logistics.

Dr. Awuku highlighted the dysfunction this causes.

“We need to give more authority to district and regional offices so they can handle recruitment and day-to-day school management,” he said.

Allegations of corruption in teacher postings were also addressed. The report documents cases where teachers allegedly paid bribes as high as GH¢20,000 to secure or transfer postings—an issue the committee attributes to excessive central control.

The report further explores whether minimum academic cut-off points should be introduced for SHS admissions. While 54% of students surveyed supported open access, 46% favoured setting entry requirements. In response, the committee recommends offering more technical and vocational pathways to broaden opportunities without limiting access to secondary education.

So far, the Free SHS programme has cost the state more than GH¢25 billion. Yet many schools still operate in temporary shelters or under trees, and infrastructure deficits persist. The committee warns that without reforms, the system risks producing graduates unprepared for employment or tertiary education.

Having completed its work, the committee has now handed over its findings to the Presidency.

“It is now up to the government to take action,” Prof. Oduro said. “We've done the consultations and made the recommendations. What's needed is leadership and urgency.”