Private senior high schools participating in the government’s pilot Free SHS expansion programme say they are fully prepared to welcome their first batch of students starting Monday.
Speaking on the Channel One Newsroom on Friday, October 17, Spokesperson for the Conference of Heads of Private Second Cycle Schools (CHOPSS), Naphtali Kyei-Baffour, noted that they were expecting 25,000 students who have been placed in 70 selected private schools across the country.
“Yes, indeed we are expecting quite a number of students to report to the SHSs. That is the 70 that are part of the piloting system we are doing. We are expecting to receive almost 25,000 of them,” he said.
According to him, some of the placed students have already started visiting their schools for prospectuses and orientation ahead of full enrolment.
“Some of them have started coming for their prospectus and are ready to join just as they have been posted. We are ready — in terms of facilities, preparedness, and everything, we are ready to receive them. We are expecting that they come to the various schools from Monday,” he added.
This follows confirmation from the Ghana National Council of Private Schools (GNACOPS) that 25,000 students have been placed in private SHSs under the new pilot programme. The initiative, launched by the government, aims to reduce congestion in public schools and phase out the double-track system by utilising existing capacity in accredited private institutions.
Executive Director of GNACOPS, Obenfo Nana Kwasi Gyetuah, recently stated that 70 private schools across all 16 regions were selected for the pilot, declaring a total of 44,000 available spaces. The current placement of 25,000 students is seen as a major step toward utilising that capacity.
The pilot is supported by a GH₵994 annual government subvention per student, covering tuition for day students. This financial support was formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Education and CHOPSS. Parents who opt to board their wards in these schools will pay the difference between the government’s contribution and the school’s boarding fees.
Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu explained that the move is part of the government’s strategy to ensure equitable access to quality education in both public and private institutions. The integration of private schools is also expected to promote greater collaboration across the education sector.
President of CHOPSS, I.K. Mensah, has welcomed the initiative and indicated that discussions are ongoing to expand the programme and possibly revise the funding structure in future phases.
