St. Andrews Senior High School, located in Assin Fosu, is set to celebrate its 20th anniversary from July 14 to July 20, 2025, under the theme: “The Inclusion of Private SHS in the Free Education Program: A Mirage or Reality?”
The week-long celebration will culminate in a grand Speech and Prize-Giving Day, anticipated to be one of the most important educational events in the region this year.
This milestone anniversary comes at a pivotal moment in Ghana’s educational discourse, as the government takes initial steps toward including private senior high schools in the Free SHS initiative.
At the heart of the celebration is a timely national conversation: how can private SHSs effectively contribute to and benefit from the Free SHS policy?
A significant development shaping this dialogue is the Ministry of Education’s decision to include 25 private SHSs in the 2025 Computerized School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS).
For the first time, these institutions will admit students under the Free SHS framework—a move largely seen as a response to overcrowding in public schools and an effort to broaden equitable access to quality secondary education.
The anniversary celebration will bring together top national figures from the education and governance sectors.
Minister of Education, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, will deliver the keynote address, while Prof. G.K.T. Oduro, Technical Advisor to the Minister, will chair the occasion.
Also expected is Dr. Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, Minister for Finance, whose presence highlights the importance of sustainable funding for ongoing education reforms.
Other prominent guests invited include Prof. Eric Nkansah, Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), and Hon.
Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC)—reflecting the intersection of politics, policy, and administration in shaping the future of education in Ghana.
While the inclusion of private schools under the Free SHS policy has been widely praised as a forward-thinking initiative, it has also sparked debate.
Concerns have been raised about the sustainability of financing, effective resource allocation, and the role of private investment in public service delivery.
Notably, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene, has suggested a hybrid funding model, encouraging parents who can afford it to contribute toward their children’s education to help ease the burden on government resources.
As St. Andrews SHS celebrates two decades of academic excellence and character development, this anniversary goes beyond commemoration.
It serves as a platform for policy reflection and critical dialogue at a defining moment in Ghana’s educational journey.
