By Patrick Kobina ARTHUR (Dr)
The universities can use a lot more money yet every year, the same people who agitate for fees to be charged and paid at SHS continue to pressure Parliament to force the universities to keep university fees unchanged.
As a result, all the public universities are bankrupt. Why the hypocrisy? How can a university student pay GH¢2,400 a year in fees and many still request for payment terms?
If a significant number of students at the senior high school (SHS) level are able and willing to pay fees, why then do so many struggle to pay school fees at the university level. This question becomes even more pertinent considering that for the past eight years, SHS students have benefited from free education, alleviating financial burdens on families.
One might wonder why university students have not pushed institutions to increase tuition fees, given the financial relief enjoyed during their SHS years. After all, this group constitutes only about 20 percent of SHS graduates who move on to higher education. Despite this relatively small proportion, the struggle to pay university fees remains widespread.
This persistent challenge highlights the stark financial difficulties that many students face, even after transitioning to university. The reality underscores deeper issues of economic inequality and limited financial capacity within many families, making higher education a daunting financial undertaking for a significant number of students.
It is important not to allow the boastfulness of a few loud mouths to destroy the lives of innocent citizens who need this policy as a lifeline. Human capital is vital. Ghanaians voted against the NPP in 2024, but are not against Free SHS. If there is a critical budget deficit for it, let us call for fundraising campaigns to help generate the short fall
Did you know that until 2017, there were families outside of the former three northern regions of Ghana who changed the names of their children in order to benefit from free SHS in the northern territories? Investigate and you will find so many.
Let us be watchful
Free SHS has to be funded even more; and as a country, let us deal with corruption and tax evasion that bankrupt the government. The high cost notwithstanding, the outcome of a well implemented Free SHS system – with all its social benefits – could do magic for the country.
Imagine we improve it to four years and strengthen professional skills development and competency aspects in the year 4. In addition, implement reinforcement-learning strategies such as requiring the year 4 students to organise tutorials for their juniors. By the time they complete the 4-year SHS, they would be ready for the job market at entry levels.
The long-term development dividends should be the main motivation, and not the short-term problems with budget deficit. Budget deficit is caused by corruption and economic mismanagement by the government.
Separating boarding and feeding aspects from free academic training
I also bought into the separation of boarding from the tuition model until 2020. It looks like most of us do not know the country we live in. I did not know the full extent either. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we had to teach virtually in 2020. That is where we learned of the number of Ghanaians who did not live in proper housing that supports education.
Most families are crammed into one room. For them, boarding school is the first time they shower with clean water and sleep on a bed with mattress. Undertaking this study will shock you!
The cost is high but measures can be devised to lower the cost and improve quality as well as use Ghana Card and banking information to force people to declare their assets. Also, free boarding should be limited to some depending on circumstances. Until then, decoupling boarding will retard the development of the country. With the best systems for measuring means, only a small percentage will come on top.
We can also use technology to solve it all at a fraction of the cost. 1. Digitise all learning materials by the best of teachers and lecturers. 2. Build robust computers with solar charging and AI-powered tutors available 24/7. 3. Equip schools with Internet connectivity. 4. Limit face-to-face to hands-on work, tutorials and tests only. 5. Organise parents and guardians to supervise home study. 6. Establish community SHS in every town. 7. Social care should develop a host family system with the help of churches and charities for students from extremely remote areas. This will help students from remote communities who need to move close to towns. 8. Implement frequent and rigorous testing to drive learning.
This system will need a new kind of Ghanaians to achieve, but it will be tough to make it work. You know how our people behave. The most practical approach is to use the current system, introduce the digital system for those who can take it, and use the traditional model for the others.
Also, they can charge boarding fees for those who can afford to pay. In the meantime, more funding should be provided to continue to improve access and quality. For some people, access alone does wonders in their lives ahead of quality.
Ghana is mostly rural communities
Ghana is mostly rural communities, and even the urban dwellers live in poor accommodation. Day schools cannot cover the majority of the youth. People need to stop the needless comparison with North America. That is lazy thinking. Enough of the senseless and negative campaign against Free SHS! We need to invest heavily in youth development, and SHS level is the most pivotal.
Nations have borrowed 200 percent of GDP to fight needless wars and still try to justify it. Africa is the only continent that is experiencing the youth bulge. This means youth development will cost more than other sectors of the economy. Other countries have a majority-aged population, so their dominant budget cost is healthcare for the aged. Which problem is better? Spending hugely on old folks or spending hugely on developing the youth?
In communities where day schools will be appropriate, let us do it. However, for those in small communities scattered across remote rural and undeveloped areas, boarding houses provide modern amenities to these youth for the first time in their lives. This also prepares them for university. People should not argue as though the only part of Ghana that is important is Accra.
Education is an invitation to understand the world beyond one’s tiny direct life experiences; to think beyond one’s small and narrow horizon. There are thousands who live in tiny kiosks even in Accra. Every rainy season, all their belongings are destroyed and they have to begin life again. Check the 2020 census.
Let us be watchful.
Ghana must win the race of future economic progress with a robust youth development policy, and the experiences from the past 8 years (2017-2024) supports an increased budget allocation.
