Free SHS Policy Requires Sustainable Funding – Dr. Partey-Anti
Dr. Peter Partey-Anti, Executive Director of the Institute for Education Studies (IfEST), has called for a national dialogue on securing a long-term funding strategy for Ghana’s Free Senior High School (SHS) policy.
During an interview with Roland Walker on TV3’s New Day program, Dr. Partey-Anti identified financial constraints as the biggest hurdle facing the initiative. He pointed out that the current funding approach, which heavily depends on the Annual Budget Funding Amount (ABFA) and the government’s fiscal budget, is not sustainable.
“Funding accounts for 99% of the policy’s challenges. The reliance on ABFA, which is not an infinite resource, makes the policy vulnerable, especially when there are setbacks in the oil sector,” he explained on January 27.
Dr. Partey-Anti commended the government for tackling the recent food shortages in schools, acknowledging President Mahama’s directive to the Chief of Staff and the temporary measure permitting headmasters to source food locally. However, he stressed the urgency of a broader discussion on long-term funding and overall resource management in schools.
“I hope this discussion happens before the end of February. We need to assess the future of our educational system holistically, particularly the conditions in high schools, which have been a major issue over the past eight years,” he noted.
He further urged stakeholders to explore diverse funding mechanisms and called for national consensus on the best approach to sustain the program.
“The specific funding method doesn’t matter as much as achieving broad agreement on a viable model. If we engage Ghanaians in this conversation, they will support a solution that ensures equitable access to education,” he added.
Since its introduction in 2017, the Free SHS policy has faced recurring financial challenges, leading to delays in food supply and essential school resources. With the call for sustainable financing growing louder, education stakeholders continue to push for pragmatic solutions to secure the policy’s future.