The Free Senior High School (SHS) policy has received a huge boost after government released Ghc35.9 million to fund for the second term of public second cycle schools.
The amount is expected to give the programme an uplift and will cover initial operational and administrative costs for the second term of the 2017/2018 academic year.
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The Free SHS Policy was successfully rolled out last year in fulfilment of a major campaign promise made to Ghanaians by the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).
The programme received widespread commendation, with many students now having the chance to enroll in the secondary school without paying any fees.
In September 2017, government released Ghc240 million for disbursement in the various public secondary schools that are covered under the programme.
And the Ministry of Education has now released another Ghc35.9 million to cover costs for the second term of the 2017/2018 academic year.
Head of Communications at the Free SHS Secretariat, Josberta Gyan Kwakye, said the amount has already been disbursed among some 489 schools.
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“We have released such an amount to the various secondary schools and it covers about 489 schools… the Ghc35.9 million that has been sent to the schools currently, is to cover the initial administrative costs for the schools for the second term,” she confirmed in an interview with Accra-based Citi FM.
She further revealed that the Education Ministry was owing some 264 schools in arrears during the disbursement in the first term, but was quick to add that government has released GHc3,392,031 to settle those arrears.
“After we had been able to confirm the enrollment numbers based on the signed list that the individual schools submitted to the secretariat, we have now come to the conclusion that about [264] schools had some arrears to be paid to cover for the first term,” Mrs. Gyan Kwakye stated.
Over 400,000 first year students have benefited since the Free SHS Policy was rolled out last year.