Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has described the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy, introduced under former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, as the most impactful social intervention in Ghana’s Fourth Republic.
Speaking at the Young Commons Forum at the University of Cape Coast on Saturday, February 21, Afenyo-Markin noted that while the programme continues to generate debate, its influence on access to secondary education is undeniable.
He explained that the policy has transformed Ghana’s educational landscape by creating opportunities for students who previously struggled with financial barriers. According to him, although major national policies often face criticism, the scope and reach of the Free SHS programme make it a hallmark achievement of the Akufo-Addo administration.
“The critics can be loud and say all they can about the Free SHS, but by far, without question, it stands as the most emblematic social intervention of the Akufo-Addo administration — and arguably the most consequential social intervention in Ghana’s Fourth Republic,” he said.
He added, “By removing financial barriers at the secondary level, the policy has drastically expanded access to education for thousands of students from low-income households who would otherwise have been excluded from senior high school.”
Launched in 2017 shortly after former President Akufo-Addo took office, the Free SHS programme fulfilled a key campaign pledge to reduce educational inequality and strengthen Ghana’s human capital.
Since its implementation, the initiative has enabled hundreds of thousands of students to enrol in senior high schools nationwide, reshaping access to secondary education and cementing its place as one of the administration’s defining achievements.
