A recent opinion piece published by TV3 Ghana has sparked debate about the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy in Ghana. The article argues that making Category A SHS fee-paying could help preserve free secondary education while making it fairer and more sustainable. The author, Charles McCarthy, suggests that this approach would allow the government to target resources to bridge quality gaps in Categories B and C. The proposal has raised questions about the fairness and equity of the current Free SHS policy.
Ghana's secondary schools are categorized into three groups, with Category A schools generally attracting the highest demand and having more competitive admissions. These schools often enjoy stronger infrastructure, facilities, and historical advantages. However, the government applies a blanket subsidy to students across the system, which may not be equitable. The opinion piece argues that treating unequal circumstances identically can produce inequality and that scarce public resources should be directed where they are most needed.
The 1992 Constitution of Ghana makes basic education free, compulsory, and available to all. However, for secondary education, the Constitution requires that it be made generally available and accessible through appropriate means, "in particular, by the progressive introduction of free education." This distinction matters, as it leaves room for Parliament and policymakers to examine differentiated financing models. The opinion piece suggests that making Category A schools fee-paying could be a way to target public support according to need.
The proposal suggests that Categories B and C could remain fully free, while Category A schools introduce regulated fees alongside a strong scholarship and means-tested exemption system. This approach would ensure that a poor child who earns admission to a Category A school is not turned away because of poverty. The opinion piece argues that those who can afford to contribute should contribute, while those who cannot should be protected. This approach would not abandon Free SHS but rather target public support according to need.
The opinion piece raises a moral question about the allocation of public resources. It asks whether the government should provide the same blanket subsidy to a child from a wealthy household attending a highly sought-after Category A school while another child in a poorly resourced school lacks basic facilities. The morally defensible principle, according to the author, is to support those who need support and ask those who can afford it to contribute.
Regulated fees at Category A schools could generate additional resources for those institutions, which could be used to support laboratories, libraries, ICT, maintenance, teaching materials, and other facilities. However, this would require strict oversight to ensure that the fees are reasonable and that the money is used transparently. The opinion piece suggests that the objective would be targeted cost-sharing, not the commercialization of public education.
The proposal has sparked debate about the fairness and equity of the current Free SHS policy. Critics will ask whether charging fees at Category A schools undermines Free SHS. However, the opinion piece argues that giving every student the same blanket subsidy may not necessarily produce the fairest education system. The government should be willing to examine different financing models to ensure that public resources are used responsibly and that every Ghanaian child has access to a decent secondary education.
Key points
- The proposal suggests making Category A SHS fee-paying to target resources to Categories B and C.
- The 1992 Constitution allows for differentiated financing models for secondary education.
- Regulated fees at Category A schools could generate additional resources for those institutions.
