The Ministry of Education has announced that it will provide GH₵994 annually for each student enrolled in private schools participating in this year’s Free Senior High School (SHS) programme.
The commitment was revealed during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry and the Conference of Heads of Private Second Cycle Schools, marking the formal inclusion of selected private SHSs in the Free SHS policy.
Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu explained that the initiative, expected to benefit about 25,000 students, is part of government’s broader strategy to phase out the double-track system in public schools.
“The government is committed to providing a stipend to support the transition of that category of students moving into private schools. That’s negotiable, and we’ll continue discussions as we go along. But for a start, that’s the commitment we make for this pilot inclusion,” he said.
President of the Conference of Heads of Private Second Cycle Schools, I.K. Mensah, commended the government for the initiative and outlined the terms of the pilot.
He said the GH₵994 support applies to day students only, while parents who wish to enroll their children as boarders will be required to pay the difference between the government’s contribution and the school’s boarding fees.
“For example, if a school charges GH₵2,000 for boarding, the government will cover GH₵994, and the parent will pay the remaining GH₵1,006,” he explained.
He emphasized that the arrangement, though a pilot, is a significant step toward strengthening collaboration between the government and private schools in delivering equitable access to secondary education.
Source: AdomOnline
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