In an effort to transform lives of millions of youngsters, particularly girls, the Ghanaian government is planning to make senior high school free for all teenagers, regardless of their background.
According to AFP, the country’s President Nana Akufo-Addo has promised to introduce the measure in September to fulfill a campaign pledge made during last December’s election that brought him to power.
The President added that free schooling meant more and more of the girls will get access to affordable and quality education which in turn will speed up the development of the country.
Currently, access to senior high school in Ghana depends on passing an entrance exam, available places and, crucially, being able to afford the fees.
“Achieving excellence in girls’ education is a must if we are to shed off the evils of poverty, ignorance, and disease and put our country on the path of progress and prosperity,” he said.
Statistics by the UN from 2015 indicate that girls spent an average of 5.8 years in school compared to 7.9 for boys.
Across sub-Saharan Africa, the figures were 4.5 and 6.3; globally the average was 7.7 and 8.8. The need for girls to finish school has been the subject of many global campaigns, which have highlighted their impact on improving problem areas such as child mortality and wages.
Girls in Ghana currently lag behind boys in school attendance by just over two years.
