Accra, Ghana – Wednesday 14 May, 2025
The Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Professor Ernest Kofi Davis, has met with executives of leading private school associations in Ghana. The high-level engagement, held at the GES headquarters in Accra, sought to explore collaborative avenues for leveraging private school infrastructure to complement the government’s flagship education initiative. A move aimed at addressing congestion in public senior high schools and enhancing the implementation of the Free Senior High School (FSHS) policy,
Prof. Davis was joined by two of his deputies, Professor Smile Dzisi and Dr. Munawaru Issahaque, along with Hon. Benita Sena Okity-Duah, the National Coordinator of the Free SHS Secretariat. The meeting brought together key stakeholders from the private education sector, notably representatives from the Ghana National Association of Private Schools (GNAPS) and the Conference of Heads of Private Second-Cycle Schools (CHOPSS).
The discussion focused on the potential integration of accredited private senior high schools into the Free SHS programme. This initiative, according to GES, could significantly reduce overcrowding in public Senior High Schools and pave the way for the phasing out of the double-track system, a measure initially introduced to accommodate the increasing student population under the Free SHS policy.
Prof. Davis reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring that no Ghanaian child is left behind due to infrastructural limitations. “We must harness all available resources, both public and private, to create sustainable solutions for quality education delivery in Ghana,” he stated. “Private schools have facilities that meet national standards, and it is time we recognise their potential in driving inclusive educational access.”
In response, the leadership of GNAPS and CHOPSS expressed optimism about the proposed collaboration. They affirmed their readiness to support the government’s efforts by profiling member schools to determine their eligibility and capacity to absorb students under the Free SHS policy.
Hon. Okity-Duah emphasised the importance of ensuring quality assurance and effective monitoring in any future arrangement. She assured the stakeholders that the Free SHS Secretariat would work closely with the private school associations to align expectations and define a clear implementation framework.
This engagement marks a critical step in broadening the reach of the Free SHS policy, which since its inception has seen substantial increases in enrolment at the secondary school level. By incorporating private institutions into the policy’s framework, the GES aims to enhance educational equity and efficiency, particularly in high-demand urban and peri-urban areas.
The meeting ended with the formation of a joint technical team to further explore operational modalities, conduct school profiling, and develop a roadmap for the integration of qualified private SHSs into the Free SHS structure.
