Emeritus Professor Ernest Aryeetey, former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, has said he would not have cancelled the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy but believes it should have been restructured to target those who truly need it.
In an interview on The Point of View on Channel One TV on Monday, October 20, Professor Aryeetey expressed concern over the blanket implementation of the policy, which he said fails to consider the different economic backgrounds of beneficiaries.
“I wouldn’t have cancelled it. I would have reformed it,” he stated. “I don’t have any problem with some Ghanaian children who will go to SHS for free, but I have a problem with Legon Vice Chancellor’s son or daughter going to Achimota School for free. It doesn’t make any sense to me.”
He argued that while access to secondary education is important, a more equitable approach would have ensured that limited public resources go to families who need them most, rather than to those who can afford to pay.
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