Ghanaian youths are anxiously waiting as the nation’s leaders decide how to proceed regarding their education.
In keeping with Goal 4 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which states: “By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes.”, the Ghanaian government and the Ministry of Education prioritized making education free from the basic to secondary levels. Since September 2017, the Free Senior High School (FSHS) program was implemented with an aim to afford more children in Ghana the opportunity to access quality education.[1]
In subsequent years leading up to 2024, student enrollment increased tremendously. However, the FSHS program has come under attack for this very reason. With the rise in enrolment rates, some question the program’s financial sustainability and are concerned about deteriorating education quality. Although research has found that “For girls and boys together, the policy increased the completion of senior high school by 14.9 percentage points.”[2], many have called for its review. The general outcry is for quality education over quantity.
Now, in mid 2024, the rift between the two main political parties as to how to proceed with the FSHS has taken center stage. The NDC argues that, it is imperative to undertake a comprehensive review of the program. The NPP counter argues that any comprehensive review of the program is simply an attempt to completely cancel the program.[3]
What is to be done for the youths of Ghana? Should fewer youths be given the chance of an education that provides high quality educational resources, or should more youths be allowed in schools with inferior educational resources?
The Member of Parliament for the Old Tafo constituency, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, in an interview on Eyewitness News with Umaru Sanda Amadu on Wednesday, January 31, 2024, acknowledged the challenges in the education sector but believes that reviewing the policy is not the solution. “For me, it is better for a young person to sit on the floor without a desk to learn rather than not being educated. It is better for a young person to go to school without a slipper and be educated than not being educated at all.”[4] While this educational political decision lay on the table, youths must continue to go to school, get the education they need and be equipped to handle the challenges of the era. Communities, institutions and agencies must continue to do the best they can to ensure that these youths have increasing access to quality education.
[1] https://moe.gov.gh/index.php/free-shs-policy/
[2] https://unu.edu/merit/article/ghanas-free-high-school-policy-getting-more-girls-complete-secondary-education
[3] https://cddgh.org/2024/06/politics-and-public-policy-legislating-the-free-shs-program/
[4] https://citinewsroom.com/2024/02/its-better-to-learn-under-trees-than-not-to-be-educated-vincent-assafuah/