While the government’s Free Senior High School (SHS) policy continues to expand access to education across Ghana, some parents in the Ashanti Region say the growing cost of prospectus items is eroding the policy’s intended relief for families.
Speaking to Kumasi FM’s Elisha Adarkwah, the parents described the financial strain of buying uniforms, toiletries, provisions, and other essentials required by schools, saying these costs make the “free” education policy feel incomplete.
One parent disclosed spending close to GHS 7,000 to prepare a newly admitted student for school, while another mentioned spending about GHS 6,000. Both said the amounts excluded transportation and miscellaneous expenses, which further stretch already tight household budgets.
“The tuition may be free, but everything else is expensive. By the time you buy all the prospectus items, you realise you’ve spent more than school fees used to cost,” one parent lamented.
The parents appealed to the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service (GES) to standardise or subsidise prospectus lists, arguing that inconsistencies among schools contribute to inflated costs. They also urged the government to engage school authorities to ensure fairness and transparency in the items demanded from parents.
According to them, the current system disproportionately affects low-income families and single parents who struggle to afford the necessary supplies for their wards.
They stressed that while they appreciate the government’s commitment to providing free education, there must be conscious efforts to make the programme genuinely affordable and sustainable for all.
“The Free SHS initiative is a good policy, but it needs refinement. It should not only remove tuition costs but also make it easier for parents to meet other requirements without going into debt,” another parent suggested.
