Free SHS is Becoming More Expensive than Expected – National Council of PTA

The chairman of the National Council of Parents Teachers Association in the Western region, Daniel Vroom-Laryea, expressed concern over the escalating costs associated with the Free Senior High School (SHS) program, stating that “the free SHS is becoming more expensive than we thought.”

In an interview on Connect FM’s Omanbapa morning show on January 15, 2023, Vroom-Laryea lamented that the expenses incurred by parents in acquiring necessary items for their children before sending them to school are becoming a burden, especially for those who cannot afford it. He criticized the government’s reluctance to allow parents to assist schools despite the challenges they are facing.

Highlighting various issues affecting the policy, he pointed out that the timing of school reopening was unfavorable for both parents and students. Factors such as low cocoa yields affecting rural farmers, the need to fill students’ chop boxes, and some parents having to rent accommodations for their children contribute to the financial strain on families.

Vroom-Laryea emphasized that the decision to prevent parents from offering assistance to schools could undermine the success of the Free SHS program. He cited instances of challenges, including pregnancies in schools due to inadequate infrastructure and the government’s restriction on Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) involvement.

The concerns raised by Vroom-Laryea coincide with reports from the Sekondi Takoradi Metropolitan Director of the Ghana Education Service, Sally Nelly Coleman. She revealed that over 137,000 fresh students placed in the 2023 Computerized School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) have not reported for admissions, despite being allocated placements.

Coleman urged parents to encourage their children to attend school, highlighting that out of approximately 590,000 students placed nationwide, only 453,000 have reported for admissions. The significant number of students still at home poses a challenge to the effective implementation of the Free SHS program.