- The Asantehene highlighted that earlier educational reforms in Ghana focused on primary and university levels
- He described the Free SHS program as the most audacious social intervention of the Fourth Republic
- Otumfuo emphasized that Free SHS aligns Ghana with global education standards
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene, has acclaimed Ghana’s Free Senior High School (SHS) program as the most daring social initiative of the Fourth Republic.
His praise came during a ceremony at the University of Cape Coast (UCC) on Thursday, September 5, where he was awarded an honorary doctorate for his exceptional contributions to nation-building, peace, and development.
In his address, Otumfuo reflected on Ghana’s educational history, noting that pre-independence education reforms were initially focused on primary and university levels, leaving secondary education largely neglected due to financial constraints.
He emphasized that the Free SHS program represents the most audacious social intervention in the Fourth Republic.
He remarked, “The Free Senior High School program is undoubtedly the most ambitious piece of social reform we have seen. While earlier education reforms addressed primary and university levels, secondary education remained out of reach for the state. The decision to implement this program had to be truly visionary, and it is no surprise that it has kept education at the forefront of national discourse.”
Otumfuo underscored the alignment of the Free SHS policy with Ghana’s commitment to providing universal access to basic education, stressing that to prepare Ghanaian children for global competition, they must receive education comparable to their peers in other countries.
He added, “Providing Free SHS is simply fulfilling our obligation to offer comprehensive basic education to all, as it aligns with international standards where secondary education is included in basic education.”
The Free SHS initiative, launched by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in 2017, continues to be a central topic in national discussions on education, praised for improving accessibility but also debated in terms of its long-term viability.
