Akuffo-Addo Government has spent GHc2bn on Free SHS – Dr. Bawumia
According to the Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia – the Akufo-Addo led government has so far invested GHS 2billion on the implementation of the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) programme.
Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, speaking at the National Council meeting of the ruling New Patriotic Party, said that the GHS 2bn cost of the Free SHS project is part of more than GHS 20bn spent by the government on key police forces since it was in office in 2017.
His Excellency Akufo-Addo speaking at the launch of the Free SHS policy in September 2017 said the government would invest revenues generated from oil into one of the most social interventions in the country’s history.
Akufo-Addo indicated that the Free SHS is to ensure that Ghana’s oil revenue is being proportionally shared among the citizenry and not ending up in the pockets of few people.
The central government in the first year of implementation released about GH¢400m to cover over 300,000 students who were admitted various in Senior High Schools (SHS) across the country.
With the roll-out of the policy almost completed, the total enrolment in Senior High Schools currently stands at 1.2 million, the highest enrolment ever in Ghana’s history.
It is estimated that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo spends about GH¢2,312 on each SHS student per year.
The Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta presenting President Akufo-Addo’s 2020 budget to Parliament disclosed that the Free SHS policy has saved parents a sum of GH¢1.8bn