Former Education Minister, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, who served under the Akufo-Addo-led government, has opposed the current administration’s measure to include private schools under the Free Senior High School (FSHS) policy.

Addressing the media on Monday, September 16, Dr Adutwum, now flagbearer of the NPP, questioned how such an initiative can be achieved given the heavy demand for certain schools.

“I don’t understand the logic. The issue is not about lack of space in schools generally, but lack of space in the most desirable schools. So if you don’t get this right, you will prescribe the wrong solution. I don’t think private schools are the answer to the double-track system.

"Parents have a right to select the schools they want, and everybody wants Category A. If you don’t have Category A private schools, parents are going to have nothing to do with it,” he said.

The Mahama-led government’s plan to include private schools under the FSHS forms part of a broader strategy to expand capacity and gradually end the double-track system.

In May, Deputy Minister of Education, Dr Clement Apaak, during a meeting with stakeholders, explained: “As part of our campaign promise, we have been working diligently to bring on board private senior high schools in the delivery of the Free SHS programme. Meetings have been held, engagements have been done, and we are very certain that with the diligence we expect from our side…”

However, the former Education Minister argues that it is impossible for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government to successfully roll out the policy, as it fails to address the real challenge.

He believes that although the government’s intention is to reduce overcrowding in certain Senior High Schools, such an initiative would be a fiasco, since most students want to attend only the top-ranked schools.

The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has criticized the government's intentions to include private schools in the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, June 3, GNAT’s General Secretary, Thomas Musah, stressed that the proposed plans would place additional strain on public schools.

He noted that the government must tread cautiously to prevent citing a lack of resources as a reason for discontinuing the programme.

“We don’t want the situation where tomorrow the government will come and tell us that there are no resources to teach in the public schools, and so we are adding on to those that parents have to pay. Already we have been calling for parents who can pay fees to pay, or should be made to make some contributions.

“We have not yet been able to get all these things done. So, to be adding on to the already existing burden will be serious, and I have some difficulty with it,” he stated.

Sixty (60) private schools have already been featured under the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy. Junior High School (JHS) graduates will be admitted into these private schools that fall in category E in the school selection process.

These schools will be accepting applications starting from the 2025/2026 academic year. In a press release issued on Sunday, July 20, by the Ghana National Council of Private Schools (GNACOPS) and signed by its National Executive Director, Oberto Nana Kwasi Gyetuah, the council has described the initiative as a historic and progressive move.

“This progressive move marks a significant milestone in Ghana’s educational transformation journey. It underscores the Government’s commitment to inclusive, collaborative education delivery and reaffirms the important role of private schools in advancing national development goals,” part of the release read.

The council further called on other private schools that are yet to be listed to remain patient, prepared, and compliant with regulatory standards.

The double-track system was introduced in 2018 by the Akufo-Addo government to accommodate the surge in student enrollment following the launch of Free SHS, helping manage overcrowding in public schools. Under this system, students were divided into two groups Green Track and Gold Track attending school in shifts, with one track in session while the other was on break.

The anticipated extension of the Free SHS policy, according to Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu, is a fulfillment of the government’s manifesto promise, aimed at ensuring eligible students gain admission without delays. “We believe strongly that in fulfilling this manifesto campaign promise, this is going to serve as an artery in helping us bring an end to the double-track system,” the deputy minister said.

According to him, the Education Ministry has received encouraging feedback from private schools, many of which have expressed readiness to meet the standards and requirements of the Free SHS framework. “… and the eagerness of the private schools to participate, the private schools will deliver in their participation,” he assured.

He added that this collaboration would not only help expand capacity but also ensure a more equitable distribution of educational opportunities across the country. The Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy was introduced in 2017 by the Akufo-Addo government to make secondary education accessible to all eligible students without financial barriers.

The policy was aimed at helping students who struggled to pay tuition, boarding, and other school-related expenses. However, it came with challenges, including overcrowding, congestion in schools, pressure on infrastructure and facilities, and increased workloads for teachers.

Since its launch, about 3.5 million students have benefited from the Free SHS programme. The immediate past government revealed that it had spent over GH¢12 billion on implementation since its inception.