A Deputy Minister of Education in charge of Tertiary, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has said government will next month extend free education to boarding students in the various Senior High Schools (SHS) in the country.

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The programme currently covers only day students in some schools.

But speaking at the launch of the NDC’s 2016 campaign in Cape Coast on Sunday, Mr. Ablakwa said about 120,000 boarders are expected to benefit from the Progressively Free SHS policy from September.

“Next month September when the 2016/2017 academic year begins, president Mahama will be launching the free SHS for borders. 120,000 borders are going to benefit from this programme as we expand progressively free senior high school education. This is what the NDC stands for.”

“Education investments take time to show; but we are committed and President Mahama led by the able Professor Naana Opoku Agyeman, we are making progress and progress is there for all to see. Apart from quality and access, affordability is also key and so we have implemented the progressively free senior high school education. More than 400,000 school pupils are benefiting at the second cycle level,” Ablakwa said.

The Deputy Minister for Education, however, expressed misgivings about the extent to which education is being politicised in the country by opposition groups.

He argued that the Mahama led administration is making tremendous improvements in Ghana's education with initiatives such as the distribution of over 60,000 laptops to students across the country.