Revitalising, resetting education in Ghana

Following the election of John Mahama as President, he is determined to reset Ghana. 

To take an informed decision regarding education in Ghana, he has set up a national Educational Reform Committee to propose transforming Ghana’s educational system, particularly the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy, which has presented some challenges.

Historical development

Education in Ghana started in the Gold Coast era around 1843 with the coming in of the Basel mission, followed by the Scottish mission, then others.

With the spreading of the Word of God, they set up missionary schools at Osu (Osu Salem) and Akropong (teacher training colleges).

Since 1980, Ghana’s educational system has moved away from six-year primary schooling and six-year secondary schooling to four-year Junior High School (JHS) and two-year SHS.

In 2017, the government introduced the Free SHS policy, this has been one of the most transformative educational reforms in recent decades. However, due to limited infrastructure, most schools had to run double track system to enable them role out this initiative.

The Free SHS aimed at ensuring equitable access to secondary education for all Ghanaian students and improve education quality.

This policy significantly altered the landscape of public education financing in the country; however, it has fallen short of its goal, presenting challenges/

Challenges

The Free SHS policy was implemented to remove financial barriers that prevented many Ghanaian students from accessing secondary education. However, the high enrolment resulted in

• Overcrowding and strain on infrastructure in classrooms and halls of schools.

• Double track system, where schools have to run shifts during academic terms.

• Inadequate furniture, textbooks, dinning and accommodation facilities

• Lack of toilets and other hygiene facilities.

• Lack of dormitories.

• Inadequate water supply.

• Deterioration of classroom facilities and quality school buildings

• Disparity between rural schools and urban schools and financial implications for Ghana government budget and the Ministry of Education.

• High public debt and inflation.

• Quality of products of these schools is nothing to write home about.

• This Free SHS has largely been dependent on government revenue, including taxes and grants from international partners.

Recommendation

With government commitment of revitalising and resetting Free SHS, it is recommended that it sets up,

• Schools Infrastructure Development Department or Authority within the Ministry of Education to ensure amongst others that all schools infrastructure are modern and fit for purpose and well positioned to support higher academic performance.

• That Ghana government introduce five per cent levy of diaspora remittances to Ghana.

In 2024, Diasporan remittances to Ghana worked out to $4.6 billion alone, a portion of it will be for funding schools’ infrastructure.

• Furthermore, by SSNIT Act, all social security contributions are paid to bank of Ghana and invested in Treasury Bills.

The yearly revenue collected from Ghanaian workers works out to over $2.4 billion per year.

Amending this act and diversifying five per cent for funding school infrastructure development and maintenance would be appropriate.

This fund will be restricted. That’s ring fenced to schools’ infrastructure only.

These funding sources are sustainable and will help reduce public debt, inflation ensuring Ghanaian schools’ infrastructure is well positioned and delivered on infrastructure fit for purpose.

E-mail: Jonasquarcoopome@gmail.com