FREE VERSUS ACCESS

by Lina Paulitsch

As elections are coming up in December, a debate whether Senior High School education should be for free or not has been dividing the country.

Since the independence of 1957, Ghana’s school system has greatly improved. Compared to other African countries, Ghana has made a big effort in modernizing their education. As education for both girls and boys is very important in order to fight poverty, the government made it obligatory for children to attend Primary School and Junior High School. During the last decade, Ghana has spent between 28 and 40 per cent of its annual budget on education.

Still, there are improvements to make, which are one of the major topics of December’s elections. For Senior High School (SHS), which is necessary to pass for university, one still has to pay fees; it is now argued whether Ghana’s government should invest further money to make it affordable for poorer families. Yet, there are things to consider: in order to have access to Senior High School students have to pass the BECE, the Junior High School’s final examination. This circumstance is highly criticized: In 2011 only 47 per cent of students managed to pass the examination. Consequently, students were denied to finish their education, even if they could have afforded Senior High School.

Many people claim that the basic level, Junior High School, needs to be reformed, concerning teachers, learning techniques and equipment. They are of the conviction that it is more important for the government to invest in the basic level conditions, so, generally more students have access to Senior High School education.

For this year’s presidential election the main opposition leader Nana Akufo Addo of NPP made free SHS education his primary campaign message. He argues that once Ghanaians see that the way to the top is possible, they will take education more seriously and work harder. Instead of being afraid of upcoming costs, students might start rethinking and fighting for their future. Furthermore, in Ghana there are many families, who live in poverty to support their children’s education. By taking loans and a following vicious circle the lives of many people might be affected, for the hope of a better future.

Even though free SHS education is certainly an expensive step, its supporters claim that education should be the priority of any nation. Knowledge empowers people to develop a functioning economy and helps fighting diseases, such as HIV/Aids and increasing the life expectancy. Particularly for women, it is of great importance to be educated, as they become aware of contraception and are, above all, very important workers. A good economy needs many hands to be well-functioning and women are, undoubtedly, a great part of them. Fred Effah-Yeboah, a Health/Public Administrator and a Youth Development Advisor, says on modernghana.com: “Education is not cheap. We should therefore re-align our national priorities to accommodate free Senior High School, no matter the cost.”

Contrary to free SHS education, President John Dramani Mahama and his party, the NDC, support better access in terms of improving Junior High School. Today there are five million children in basic schools in Ghana, and only 720,000 students in Senior Secondary School. A member of the NDC communications team, Felix Kwaky Ofusu states: “Before you speak about making SHS education free, you must be able to guarantee compulsory universal basic education for all Ghanaians. […] If you have resources and you want to guarantee universal access to everybody, where do you invest?”

Therefore, the NDC government now promises to invest in the establishment of two hundred community schools during 2013 to 2016. This step will enable approximately 200 thousand children to receive better education. At the 44^th congregation of the University of Cape Coast Vice President Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur announced that after the quality of the basic level has improved, free SHS education will be introduced.

As I am from Austria, Europe myself, I am following the discussion with great interest. In my home country all education is for free, starting with kindergarten and ending with university.

Still, we have had many discussions whether there should be fees for university, which have been introduced and abolished for many times since. Personally, I am convinced that education is the key for a good economy and a better quality of life. Every country deals with different problems, though: for some fees may improve educational standards, for others those fees might deter young people from even trying. It is a balancing act and should be well-considered, bearing only the best for the next generation in mind. 

As proving to be one of the main Presidential and Parliamentary election’s topics, the current discussion about free SHS education requests from every Ghanaian to make up his own mind and think of the pros and cons of each side. The steps taken will affect people’s lives forever, it is therefore essential to contemplate objectively and think of the next generation.