Child Rights International has firmly rejected proposals to shift the cost of feeding students under the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy to parents.
In a statement dated January 11, 2025, the organization emphasized that such a move would undermine the core principles of the program, which aims to eliminate financial barriers to education.
The Free SHS policy, launched in 2017, has significantly expanded access to secondary education by covering tuition, feeding, and accommodation costs, particularly benefiting students from low-income families and underserved areas. The organization stressed that transferring feeding costs to parents would jeopardize these achievements, especially in rural communities where affordability remains a major concern.
Despite the program’s successes, it has encountered challenges such as overcrowding, funding delays, and logistical difficulties with feeding. Child Rights International noted that while reforms are necessary to address these issues, any changes must protect the policy’s foundational goal of inclusivity and accessibility.
The statement urged stakeholders to prioritize solutions that strengthen the program rather than compromise its transformative impact. “We must uphold the integrity of Free SHS as a lifeline for many Ghanaian children and families,” the statement concluded.
Below is the full statement
