The Deputy Minister-Designate for Finance, Thomas Nyarko Ampem, has assured that the Free Senior High School (SHS) programme will continue, dispelling any claims of its discontinuation.

Appearing before Parliament’s Appointments Committee on Monday, February 24, 2025, the Asuogyaman MP pledged to support Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson in securing the necessary funds to sustain the policy.

He clarified that his concerns regarding Free SHS are not about financial allocation but rather its execution.

“There is no subtle intention to cancel Free SHS. I will support my minister to provide adequate funding for education. As to the outcome of the education forum, if Ghanaians by consensus agree on a particular direction, and it becomes government policy, I will support it in any way. But like I said, President Mahama gave Ghanaians the indication that he will not cancel free SHS and I know President Mahama is a man of his word,” he stated.

“If I have any concern about free SHS, it is not about the funding it is rather the implementation.”

His remarks come amid discussions at the National Education Forum in Ho, where approximately 300 education experts and stakeholders have convened to deliberate on key challenges and explore ways to make the system more sustainable.

The forum, themed “Transforming Education for a Sustainable Future,” serves as a platform for policymakers and professionals to propose reforms aimed at strengthening Ghana’s educational framework.