Private Schools Endorse Free SHS Pilot Despite Low Government Support
The Conference of Heads of Private Second Cycle Schools (CHOPSS) has expressed its commitment to the government’s pilot programme extending the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy to selected private schools, even as it described the current GH₵994 annual support per student as financially inadequate.
CHOPSS spokesperson Naphtali Kyei-Baffour said the initiative marks a positive first step toward building stronger public–private partnerships in Ghana’s education system. He, however, acknowledged that the funding level falls short of the actual cost of providing quality education.
“To be honest, it is woefully inadequate,” he said. “But since this is a pilot for the 2025/2026 academic year, we see it as a necessary starting point. The focus is on supporting government efforts and helping to ease the pressure on public senior high schools.”
The Ministry of Education recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with CHOPSS, formalising the inclusion of 70 private schools in the pilot phase of the Free SHS policy. Under the agreement, government will pay GH₵994 annually per day student, covering tuition costs only.
The initiative is designed to decongest public schools and reduce the double-track system, which was introduced in 2018 to accommodate rising enrolment numbers. By leveraging available infrastructure in private institutions, the government hopes to expand access to education for more students nationwide.
Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has described the programme as a key step in ensuring equity and inclusivity within Ghana’s education landscape, noting that it provides “an opportunity for private schools to contribute directly to national development.”
While welcoming the initiative, CHOPSS has drawn attention to the limited financial support provided under the pilot. According to Mr. Kyei-Baffour, the GH₵994 allocation covers tuition alone and excludes other essential supplies and student needs.
“Just to set the record straight, the GH₵994 excludes exercise books, school uniforms, textbooks, anniversary cloths, and all other learning materials,” he clarified. “It also doesn’t cover the one hot meal a day that government provides for public SHS students.”
Private schools, he explained, will therefore need to find ways to bridge the gap through cost management, partnerships, or parent contributions. Despite these constraints, CHOPSS says its members are prepared to enrol 25,000 students placed in private schools beginning Monday, October 21, 2025.
According to CHOPSS, the pilot offers valuable lessons that can inform future policy adjustments. Mr. Kyei-Baffour said the organisation intends to collaborate with the Ministry of Education to assess operational challenges, especially regarding funding, curriculum delivery, and infrastructure use.
“It’s important that we start somewhere,” he said. “As we go through this pilot, we can identify challenges and propose remedies. Hopefully, by next year, with more schools coming on board, the programme will be much stronger.”
CHOPSS President I.K. Mensah previously commended the government for taking a “bold and inclusive step,” noting that the partnership could reshape the financing model for secondary education in Ghana if sustained and scaled effectively.
The inclusion of private schools in the Free SHS programme represents a major shift in Ghana’s education policy. Since the policy’s introduction in 2017, it has benefited over 1.6 million students, according to the Ministry of Education, but has also strained public school facilities and budgets.
Private schools, which account for nearly 30 percent of Ghana’s secondary school capacity, have long advocated for inclusion in state-funded initiatives. Analysts say the pilot could serve as a blueprint for blended public–private education models, similar to those used successfully in Kenya and South Africa, where private participation has helped close access gaps without compromising quality.
Education researcher Dr. Kwaku Prempeh of the University of Cape Coast told JoyNews that Ghana’s approach “could be transformative if properly funded,” adding that “a sustainable cost-sharing formula and strict quality assurance framework will be essential.”
For parents, the pilot offers new hope especially for those unable to secure placement in public SHSs. However, the government has clarified that boarding students are not covered under the pilot. Parents wishing to have their children board must pay the difference between the state subsidy and the school’s boarding fees.
Several parents interviewed in Accra and Kumasi expressed cautious optimism. “At least, it opens doors for children who might otherwise stay home,” said Ama Owusu, whose daughter was placed in a private SHS in the Ashanti Region. “But government should review the amount because private schools can’t operate on that.”
As the 2025/2026 academic year begins, education stakeholders are closely monitoring the rollout of the pilot programme to determine its impact on enrolment, learning outcomes, and administrative efficiency. Both CHOPSS and the Ministry of Education have agreed to review the pilot after one academic year before deciding whether to expand it nationwide.
For now, Ghana’s attempt to bridge the gap between public and private education marks a significant experiment in policy innovation one that could redefine the country’s secondary education system in the years ahead.
Read also: Free SHS Extension to Private Schools Marks Key Shift in Ghana’s Education Policy
