Pro-government think tank Danquah Institute has embraced the rollout of the Free Senior High School Policy, saying it will benefit all and sundry irrespective of political party, religious affinity and ethnicity.

In a statement issued on Monday, the Institute said the policy will, among several reasons, unearth talents of the Ghanaian student. “There are so many students whose talents or gifts have, over the years, been buried as a result of their inability to continue their education after completing the junior high school,” the statement said.

It added: “It is hoped that, with the implementation of this policy, the country will benefit from the knowledge, ability and unique skills of these students to make our nation better and stronger.”

Find the full statement below:

Free senior high school will improve access and unearth talents

Every society or nation espouses education and its relevance in shaping the thinking of the people, improving upon their wellbeing and most importantly, making them functional in their environment.

The objective of education is therefore to promote both personal and societal growth. Thus, any attempt by any government to ensure the development of education, more especially providing access for others—particularly the disadvantaged to benefit from education must be commended.

That is why we entreat all well-meaning Ghanaians to put politics aside and commend the Akufo-Addo led administration for making the promised free senior high school a reality. The free senior high school policy (FSHSP) is a national policy that will benefit all regardless of ethnicity, religious affinity, and political affiliation.

This academic year, the government, under the able leadership of the President–Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the education minister—Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh, has implemented the free senior high school policy meant to improve access at the senior high schools, provide opportunity for the disadvantaged to obtain senior secondary school education, and to unearth or discover talents.

There are so many students whose talents or gifts have, over the years, been buried as a result of their inability to continue their education after completing the junior high school. It is hoped that, with the implementation of this policy, the country will benefit from the knowledge, ability and unique skills of these students to make our nation better and stronger.

As a result of the importance of this policy in benefitting students, parents, and the nation, we would like to encourage the citizenry to come on board to contribute ideas to make it work.

At this stage of our development, we need ideas to make progress, solutions to our problems, and not deliberate attempts that maintain the status quo or draw us back.

Questions that seek answers to make the policy work should be our singular and major preoccupation, and not reasons that will make us renege on this laudable policy intervention.

For example, how do we ensure that the policy is sustained, which of our resources could be leveraged to support it, should there be a special levy, for example that targets pre-tertiary education, portion of which should be used to support the policy, how do we deal with the expected increase in enrolment in the coming years? This should be our attitude towards the policy: it is positive attitude that defines success and progress.

Finally, we would plead with the government to continue to think in novel ways and engage stakeholders in order to ensure the sustenance of this worthy policy by identifying and addressing any potential threat that can undermine or compromise its effectiveness, and opportunities that will ensure its success.