Activist urges Ghana to protect Free SHS policy amid cost debates
Oliver Barker-Vormawor has called for stronger protection of Ghana's Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy. He argues that the programme remains one of the most important interventions for low-income families. His comments come amid ongoing debates about the policy's cost and effectiveness.
Barker-Vormawor criticised policymakers and analysts who oppose the Free SHS policy on financial grounds. He claimed that corruption poses a far greater threat to Ghana's finances than the cost of the programme. According to him, funds lost to corruption under the previous administration surpassed the total expenditure on Free SHS, though he did not provide specific cost figures.
Instead of scrapping the policy, he proposed refining it over time. One suggestion was introducing means testing to ensure better targeting of beneficiaries. He also urged authorities to recover stolen funds rather than cutting back on education support. Barker-Vormawor described Free SHS as one of the few meaningful initiatives helping poor households in Ghana. He warned that abandoning it would harm vulnerable families who rely on the programme for access to education.
The activist's remarks highlight the tension between cost concerns and the policy's social impact. He insists that tackling corruption, not reducing education funding, should be the priority. His proposals include recovering lost funds and improving the policy's efficiency through targeted reforms.
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