The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has praised the government’s flagship Free SHS policy as one of the most daring.
According to him, the strategy had increased access to SHS education, emphasizing that its goals aligned with the Kingdom’s educational foundation, which he had been overseeing since his enstoolment.
On May 5, Nana Asantehene spoke at the University of Memphis as part of his visit to the United States for the ‘Memphis in May’ celebrations.
“When we first climbed the Golden Stool 23 years ago, we declared education to be our top priority. We formed a foundation to support the education of children from low-income families in order to achieve our mission.
“It has so far become the country’s largest private intervention in education……” He said that the program had aided in the recruitment of ministers and justices.
“Now that the current government has introduced free education up to Senior High School, all Ghanaian children, regardless of their background, can access free education.” Given the importance of education to the nation, this must be one of the country’s most daring programs.”
He went on to list some of the policy’s drawbacks, saying, “It places a significant pressure on the national budget and adds to the issue of finding jobs for the growing number of graduates.”
“I’m confident that the creative minds gathered here and elsewhere will be reassured that Ghana is on the right track, capable of storming and maintaining its democratic course, and deserving of the United States’ full support in that regard.”
Free SHS was a prominent campaign promise of the ruling party in the 2016 election, and the program was implemented in 2017 despite calls for it to be rethought in terms of funding.
