The Catholic Church has called on the government to revisit the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy in order to address inefficiencies and secure sustainable funding for quality education in Ghana.
This call came as a key resolution during the Second Catholic National Education Forum, held in Koforidua, where Catholic bishops, educators, and policymakers gathered to discuss the future of education in the country.
While the Church recognized the positive impact of the Free SHS policy, particularly in increasing enrollment and expanding access to secondary education, it also raised concerns about challenges such as the double-track system, insufficient infrastructure, a lack of essential learning materials, and a decline in discipline within schools.
Church leaders emphasized the need for a structured approach to enhance the quality of education under Free SHS and urged the government to evaluate the policy’s effectiveness. They called for adjustments that would ensure students receive a comprehensive, disciplined, and resource-rich education.
In a statement signed by the President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Most Rev. Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, one of the major recommendations was to review the role of parents in funding education. While acknowledging that free education is a commendable initiative, the Church suggested that parents should be encouraged to contribute to their children’s education in a way that does not place undue financial burden on them.
The forum proposed that parents be involved in funding certain non-tuition costs, such as school feeding programs, infrastructure maintenance, and extracurricular activities, as a means to improve the learning environment.
Additionally, the Church called for stakeholder consultations involving the government, religious organizations, parents, and education experts to create a sustainable model that ensures quality education while keeping it affordable.
The Catholic Church also reiterated the need for stronger collaboration between the government and mission schools. It urged the government to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Church to formalize its role in managing Catholic schools, particularly in restoring its authority in staffing and administration.
With the 2025/2026 academic year approaching, the Church hopes that policymakers will seriously consider these recommendations in order to tackle the challenges facing the Free SHS system and improve the overall quality of education in Ghana.