Obenfo Nana Kwasi Gyetuah, The National Executive Director for the Ghana National Council of Private Schools GNACOPS has outlined the missteps, mismanagement and measures that could be taken in the consideration of any possible reforms to the country’s Free SHS policy.
He noted that the policy which was a noble intention to make education accessible to all now lies tarnished because the cracks in its foundation was overlooked.
Some of the notable cracks he outlined are: Discriminatory Placement Policy against Private Schools, Restrictive Stakeholder Feedback, Misallocated Resources, Neglecting Basic Education, Digital Communication Failures
Proposing a possible way forward, the National Executive Director Outlined five policy actions
- Investment in Day Schools with TVET
- Burden-Sharing for Boarding Schools
- Targeted Support for Private Rural Schools
- Rethinking School Uniform Policy
- Diversifying Pathways to University Education
He concluded by saying the Ministry of Education has over the years relied solely on the policy without considering any other alternatives.
He therefore cautioned the Ministry of Education to avoid similar missteps in the future. He said it would involve considering alternative ideas and perspectives, fostering a culture of transparency, accountability and responsiveness and encouraging stakeholder feedback and participation.
