Free SHS: Akufo-Addo wants to strengthen human capital at 'whatever cost' – Ofori-Atta

Finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta has said President Nana Akufo-Addo's reason for introducing the free senior high school programme is to strengthen Ghana’s human capital.

At a meeting with the business community ahead of the 2023 Mid-year Budget Review, Mr Ofori-Atta said: “There is the issue of Free Senior High School, people talk about us doing the means testing, which I agree, but we should also consider that that child is Ghanaian so the fact that the parent may not want to do it does not mean that as a Ghanaian citizen, I should not find a way for that child to go through senior high [school].

”In terms of the genuineness in placing this country where it should be, I can assure you that President Akufo-Addo and what he thinks about is the strength of the human capital at whatever cost.

"Get people educated, and it’s limitless what they can do," Mr Ofori-Atta added.

The programme was introduced in the first year of President Akufo-Addo's first term.