Fee-Free Secondary Education in Ghana: Reflections on the Past, Realities and Feasible Choices

Abstract

In 2017, the Government of Ghana introduced a Fee-Free Secondary Education policy that attracted intensive debate nationally. This paper is a reflective analysis rooted in both historical and contemporary expressions of education financing in Ghana. It considers the feasibility of the policy, its sustenance and draws on past policies and practices in Ghana and other country experiences. It reflects on past social interventions in Ghana and their outcomes. Findings suggest that a universal fee-free policy will be burdensome on government’s limited resources and affect the quality of education delivery. The paper concludes that a gradualist approach or phased implementation of the programme through means-testing and pro-poor targeting could lead to better management and practice of the policy.