Former Education Minister Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, popularly known as NAPO, has dismissed claims that the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) programme faced funding challenges while he was in office.
NAPO said the government consistently met its financial obligations to schools, ensuring smooth academic operations nationwide.
“Funding challenges often associated with Free SHS emerged after my exit from the ministry,” he clarified in an interview with Serwaa Amihere on GHOneTV on December 18,
He emphasised that resources were carefully managed to support key aspects of the programme, including feeding, textbooks, teaching and learning materials, and grants to schools, which contributed to improved student outcomes.
Addressing the introduction of the double-track system, NAPO said it was a strategic response to increased enrolment following the rollout of Free SHS, not a result of financial constraints.
“The policy helped expand access without compromising quality,” he stated.
On the broader social impact, NAPO highlighted that the programme kept more children in school rather than engaging in domestic work, describing this as one of Free SHS’s major successes.
