President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has touted his government’s flagship Free Senior High School (SHS) policy as a futuristic transformational step that will fast-track national development.

According to him, the policy, coupled with the Free Technical, Vocational and Education Training (TVET), have contributed to cushioning Ghana’s educational structure.

Delivering the final State of the Nation Address of his first term of office in Parliament today, Tuesday, 5 January 2021, President Akufo-Addo highlighted the successes chalked in the educational sector.

“Four years ago, it sounded recklessly optimistic, but Free SHS and Free TVET are now entrenched parts of our educational set-up. In a few years’ time, we can guarantee that the basic education for the workforce in our country would be at the secondary level. It is a transformational step we have taken, which should quicken the development all around and give us confidence in our future”, he said.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo launched the free SHS policy in September 2017.

The first batch of beneficiaries from the policy were enrolled in that same year.

Admission, library, science centre, computer laboratory, utility and examination fees have been absorbed by the government.

Boarding students also benefit from free textbooks, free boarding fees and free meals, while day students are entitled to free lunch.

The first batch of SHS graduate beneficiaries from the Free SHS policy sat the West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE) from July 2020 across the country.