Free SHS is Ghana’s most significant social policy since 1992 — Afenyo-Markin

Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has described the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) programme introduced under former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as the most far-reaching social intervention implemented in Ghana’s Fourth Republic.Ghana Travel Guide

Speaking at the Young Commons Forum held at the University of Cape Coast on Saturday, February 21, the Effutu Member of Parliament said that despite the persistent public debate surrounding the policy, its impact on educational access across the country remains undeniable.

Afenyo-Markin said the initiative fundamentally altered the landscape of secondary education by opening doors to students who previously faced financial obstacles.

He noted that while public policies often attract criticism, the scale and reach of the Free SHS make it stand out as a defining legacy of the Akufo-Addo administration.

He argued that the programme’s transformative effect lies in the opportunities it has created for thousands of families, particularly those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.