Child Rights International has strongly criticized proposals to shift the responsibility of feeding students under the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy onto parents. In a statement released on January 11, 2025, the organization expressed concern over these suggestions, stressing the need to protect the integrity of the Free SHS initiative, which it regards as a transformative program that has vastly increased access to education since its introduction in 2017.
The organization firmly rejected any notion that parents should bear the cost of feeding and providing other essential items for their children in senior high schools, arguing that such changes would undermine the core objectives of the Free SHS program.
“The Free SHS initiative was created to eliminate financial barriers to education and ensure that all Ghanaian children have equal access to schooling. Proposals to shift feeding costs to parents threaten the very foundation of this policy,” the statement asserted.
The Free SHS program, since its launch, has been widely recognized as a significant social intervention, covering tuition, feeding, accommodation, and other related expenses. This has allowed millions of students, especially those from low-income backgrounds and rural communities, to access secondary education.
The program has had a particularly positive impact in rural areas, where high educational costs previously kept many children out of school. It has helped increase enrollment, reduce dropout rates, and improve literacy across the country.
While the program has been praised for its success, it has faced challenges, such as overcrowded classrooms, delays in funding, and difficulties in feeding logistics, which have sparked public debate about its long-term sustainability.
Child Rights International emphasized that any proposed changes to the Free SHS policy should focus on addressing these challenges while preserving the program’s key benefits.
“The initiative must continue to serve as a means of accessible education, and any reforms should enhance its positive impact on Ghanaian children, not diminish it,” the organization concluded.
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SOURCE: http://dew360.net
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