President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has praised the transformative impact of his government’s Free Senior High School (Free SHS) initiative.
Delivering his final State of the Nation Address in Parliament on Friday, January 3, 2024, President Akufo-Addo emphasised that the Free SHS program had significantly expanded access to education.
He also noted that his government had prioritised Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in the country.
“We have transformed education, and there can never be a reversal of the fact that 5.7 million young people have gained access to secondary education, who would otherwise not have had the opportunity but for Free SHS and Free TVET,” he stated.
Highlighting his administration’s focus on TVET, he added, “Indeed, my administration has also prioritized technical and vocational education and training, establishing 34 new TVET institutions and upgrading 62 existing ones to equip our youth with 21st-century skills.”
The President expressed satisfaction with the elevation of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education, adding, “I am glad that we have elevated TVET and STEM to where they properly belong, and they will no longer be seen as the option for those who cannot make the top grade.”
Reflecting on the initial opposition to the Free SHS policy, the President remarked, “Mr. Speaker, I’m proud that we were brave enough to start the Free SHS policy at the beginning of my first term and resisted the call for a gradual introduction. I’m glad that we’ve removed from the Ghanaian mindset the belief that secondary school education is only for people from certain households and families.”
Citing improved examination outcomes, the President highlighted the significant progress since the introduction of Free SHS.
He noted, “From 2020, when the first cohort of Free SHS candidates sat for the WASSCE, Ghana has consistently recorded over 50% of candidates scoring A1 to C6 in all four core subjects. This year’s results, the 2024 results, have maintained the laudable trend from 2020.”
Comparing performance metrics, he stated, “Indeed, only 51.6% of candidates achieved A1 to C6 in English in 2016, compared to a much higher 69.52% in 2024. For integrated science, the pass rate improved from 48.35% in 2016 to 58.77% in 2024. Mathematics demonstrated the most dramatic progress, rising from a mere 33.12% pass rate in 2016 to an impressive 66.86% in 2024. Social studies followed a similar trend, improving from 54.55% in 2016 to 71.53% in 2024.”
Describing the 2023 WASSCE results, the President asserted, “The data is there, and it is the best in the history of the examination, with record-breaking performances across all core subjects. No amount of shouting will displace the data. It will not happen.”
Akufo-Addo also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening education and ensuring that every child has the opportunity to reach their full potential.
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Source: www.ghanaweb.com
