Private senior high schools across the country are set to play a key role in addressing congestion in public schools as the government’s pilot expansion of the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy officially kicks off on Monday.
Under the initiative, 25,000 students have been placed in 70 selected private SHSs nationwide — a move designed to absorb excess enrolments and gradually phase out the double-track system that has stretched public school infrastructure since 2017.
The programme marks the first major integration of private schools into the Free SHS policy framework since its inception. It follows months of consultation between the Ministry of Education, the Ghana National Council of Private Schools (GNACOPS), and the Conference of Heads of Private Second Cycle Schools (CHOPSS).
Spokesperson for CHOPSS, Naphtali Kyei-Baffour, told Channel One News on Friday that the participating schools are “fully prepared” to welcome their first batch of students, with facilities and teaching staff ready for academic work.
“We are expecting almost 25,000 students in the 70 schools selected for the pilot. Some have already begun visiting their schools for prospectuses and orientation. We are ready in all aspects to receive them,” he assured.
Each student under the pilot will benefit from a GH₵994 annual government subvention, covering tuition for day students. Boarding students, however, will pay the difference between this subsidy and the schools’ boarding fees.
Executive Director of GNACOPS, Obenfo Nana Kwasi Gyetuah, described the pilot as “a practical step” toward leveraging the unused capacity of private schools to complement government efforts in delivering accessible and quality secondary education.
Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to expanding the partnership after the pilot phase, emphasizing that the collaboration will ensure equity between students in public and private institutions.
President of CHOPSS, I.K. Mensah, said discussions are ongoing to review funding arrangements for future phases of the programme, adding that the initiative could redefine the role of private education in Ghana’s public policy framework.
The pilot’s success will determine the next phase of implementation, potentially opening the door for hundreds more private schools to participate in the Free SHS scheme in 2026.
