Success of Free SHS answers critics – Prez Akufo-Addo

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo says the fears of critics of Government's Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy that it will lower education standards have been allayed, saying, the success of the policy has answered its critics. 'Mr Speaker, Free SHS might be labelled by its detractors as a mere political slogan that must be demonised, but it is, in fact, a transformative programme that has broken myths and liberated minds. 'I believe the success of the Free SHS has answered its critics, and the arguments about it should cease, and we should simply concentrate on finding ways to improve it,' he said. President Akufo-Addo said this during his presentation of the 2024 State of The Nation Address in Parliament. He said the Government had also been paying equal attention to the lower sectors of education- Kindergarten and Primary School - to give a solid foundation to, and strengthen the Free SHS policy. President Akufo-Addo said the implementation of various programmes such as Capitation Grant, F eeding Grants to Special Schools, BECE registration for pupils in public Junior High Schools, among others, had significantly increased access to education at the basic level. The Free Senior High School policy was introduced in September 2017 as a flagship programme of the government. The policy aims to take out the element of cost as a barrier to education, thus, every child in Ghana who qualifies for, and is placed in a public Senior High School for his secondary education will have his/her fees absorbed by the government. Source: Ghana News Agency