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Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has called for a comprehensive validation of the data on beneficiaries of Ghana’s Free Senior High School (Free SHS) programme. He emphasized the need for accurate statistics to guide future policy decisions and educational reforms.
Speaking during his first official visit to the Ministry of Education on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, following his swearing-in by President John Dramani Mahama, Iddrisu highlighted discrepancies in the reported figures for the programme.
“One of the very first major issues the country must interrogate is the statistical validity of how many Ghanaians have benefited from Free Senior High School,” the Minister said.
He cited conflicting reports on the number of beneficiaries, referencing his research, which estimates that 3.9 million students have benefited from the programme. This figure contrasts with public records, including parliamentary reports, which claim the number is as high as 5.1 million.
“I am not saying mine is right, but 5.1 million was misleading because I have looked at the numbers from 2017 to 2023, and I am convinced that the number of students who have benefited from the Free SHS policy stands at not more than 3.9 million. But I need a validation of that data to begin with,” Iddrisu explained.
The Minister stressed that his call for validation is not an attempt to discredit existing records but to establish a credible and reliable baseline for effective policymaking.
Iddrisu also announced plans to organize a National Education Conference to review the current state of education in Ghana and propose actionable reforms. He emphasized that validating the Free SHS data would serve as a crucial foundation for these discussions.
His focus on data accuracy and evidence-based policymaking signals a proactive approach to strengthening Ghana’s education sector and ensuring informed decisions that benefit future generations.
Source:NKONKONSA.com
