Gov’t Extends Free SHS To Private Schools; GH¢1,500 Per Term Tuition To Be Covered

The Government of Ghana is set to extend the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) program to include private SHSs, covering tuition fees of GH¢1,500 per student each semester as part of a new pilot initiative.

The announcement was made on TV3’s Hot Issues on Sunday, June 1, 2025. According to the Ghana National Council for Private Schools (GNACOPS), the pilot will officially begin in the 2025–2026 academic year.

Enoch Nana Gyetuah, Executive Director of GNACOPS, described the initiative as a strategic partnership aimed at expanding access to quality secondary education while easing pressure on public schools.

“Government is going to supply us with a tentative amount of GH¢1,500 for tuition, per semester,” he confirmed.

Mr. Gyetuah further explained that private SHSs have already declared their available spaces to the Ministry of Education. Student placement will be aligned with each school’s capacity to ensure effective teaching and learning.

“The schools have already declared their vacancies for the Free SHS, and that has been sent to the Ministry of Education,” he said. “The placement will be done in a way that the number of students will match the capacity of the private schools.”

Private school operators have welcomed the move, calling it a win-win approach that benefits both students and institutions.

“The private school owners are very happy with this initiative and arrangement,” Gyetuah noted. “It’s an attractive opportunity for these schools.”

The pilot marks a significant milestone in the evolution of Ghana’s Free SHS policy, which has been implemented in public schools since 2017.

@asempa_fm Private Schools Join Free SHS to Help End Double Track – Dr. Clement Apaak #asempafm #ghana #changes #education ♬ original sound – ASEMPA FM

Source: Nkonkonsa.com