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Revise Free SHS Policy to Ensure Equity in Education Funding- Outgoing Ghana Bar Association Head

Latest News : Revise Free SHS Policy to Ensure Equity in Education Funding- Outgoing Ghana Bar Association Head

Yaw Acheampong Boafo, the outgoing President of the Ghana Bar Association, has advocated for a significant overhaul of Ghana’s Free Senior High School (SHS) policy. He suggests that students from affluent families should be required to pay fees, thereby directing resources towards students from less privileged backgrounds. Boafo proposes using data from the National Identification Authority to implement a means-tested system, ensuring that wealthier families do not exploit the system designed to support the less fortunate.

Addressing the Annual Conference of the Ghana Bar Association in Kumasi, Mr. Boafo emphasized that those from wealthier backgrounds, who have attended costly primary and junior high schools, should contribute financially at the SHS level. This approach, he argues, would allow the government to allocate more resources to support students from poorer families.

The conference, which was attended by high-profile figures including Chief Justice Justice Gertrude Sackey Torkornoo, Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame, and President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, also highlighted broader issues in education. Boafo stressed the need to focus on improving basic education, such as eliminating the practice of holding classes under trees and providing sanitary products for girls in need.

Boafo also criticized the current school feeding program, suggesting that it needs review and enhancement to better serve its intended beneficiaries. He expressed concern about the growing divide between the rich and the poor, and the consequent threat to national security.

Further, Boafo called for reforms in the awarding of government scholarships. He argued that scholarships should be awarded based on merit, financial need, and relevance to critical fields of study, rather than political connections or privilege. He condemned the practice of awarding multiple scholarships to individuals who do not need them, while others who require financial support are left out.

Boafo proposed that legislation be enacted to regulate and streamline the distribution of government scholarships, to address issues of corruption, nepotism, and abuse in the current system. He also criticized the use of foreign currency for scholarships to study abroad when similar programs are available locally, advocating for a more equitable and transparent approach to educational funding.

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