Free SHS bill heads to Cabinet: Proposes scrapping BECE for SHS admission and extending SHS to 6 years.
The Ministry of Education is drafting a bill to provide legal backing for free and compulsory senior high school (SHS) education. This landmark legislation aims to solidify the gains made by the Free SHS policy, which has already benefited over 3.04 million students since its inception in 2017.
The proposed bill seeks to decouple junior high school (JHS) from basic school and make it part of secondary school, creating a six-year secondary education cycle. This move is expected to improve the transition rate from JHS to SHS, which has already shown significant improvement, especially in the northern regions.
According to Education Minister Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, the bill aims to ensure that every Ghanaian has access to at least senior high school education. He emphasized that the current Free SHS policy is not mandatory, and any government can discontinue it if they see fit. The minister believes that legislation is necessary to make free, compulsory, and universal secondary education a legal requirement.
The 1992 Constitution already guarantees free, compulsory, and universal basic education (FCUBE). The country’s educational objectives under Article 38 of the Constitution emphasize equal access to secondary and pre-university education, with a focus on science and technology. The proposed bill seeks to build on this foundation, ensuring that every Ghanaian has access to quality secondary education.
Dr. Adutwum highlighted the success of the Free SHS policy, with over 505,000 students enrolled in first year this year, the highest enrollment in the country’s history. He noted that the transition rate from JHS to SHS has improved significantly, especially in the northern regions, where the rate has increased by up to 95% in some areas.
The minister stressed the importance of compulsory education, citing the potential for talented Ghanaians to be left behind if they are not mandated to attend school. He also emphasized the need for resources to support students, particularly those who may not have the means to access education otherwise. “We need to provide the support for them to succeed,” he said.
The proposed bill has received mixed reactions, with some calling for a review of the Free SHS policy to ensure sustainability and revenue generation. However, the Minority Leader in Parliament, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has clarified that the Minority Caucus supports the policy and is eager to see the bill presented to Parliament.
“We are hearing from the Majority Leader for the first time that the government is considering a bill to be presented to Parliament called the Free SHS Bill,” Dr. Forson said. “It is important for us to reiterate that we cannot oppose a bill that we have not seen, and we have said it nowhere that we are going to oppose such a bill.”
The proposed bill also seeks to cancel the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) as a requirement for admission to secondary school, instead using it for school selection purposes. This move is expected to reduce the pressure on students and allow them to focus on their studies, rather than preparing for a high-stakes exam.
In addition, the bill proposes to reintroduce a system akin to the old Middle School and Secondary School relationship, where the Common Entrance Examination was used for selection to the secondary school, while the Hall examination was for certification for either work or progression to other areas of education such as the colleges of education.
Overall, the proposed bill aims to solidify the gains made by the Free SHS policy and ensure that every Ghanaian has access to quality secondary education. With its focus on compulsory education, resource support
The Free Senior High School Bill of 2024 will be discussed by Cabinet this week.
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