Nathaniel Dwamena
President of the Yafo Institute, Nathaniel Dwamena, has called on the government to integrate the Ghana National Association of Private Schools (GNAPS) into the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy.
He believes this collaboration would help bridge the significant infrastructure deficit that has hindered the initiative’s full realisation.
Mr. Dwamena’s assertion is in response to the Yafo Institute’s report on the Free SHS Policy which revealed that 14% of respondents who are beneficiaries of the policy identified insufficient infrastructure as a major challenge.
The report also revealed that 41% of respondents who are parents have hailed the policy while 6% have criticised the politicisation of the policy intended to alleviate the burdens of parents.
He emphasised the need for a more targeted approach to identifying beneficiaries of the programme. “If the government can identify which child benefits from the policy, it could alleviate some financial constraints,” he stated.
Mr. Dwamena proposed a decentralised scholarship system that would allow the private sector to participate more actively.
He noted that many private schools have underutilised infrastructure, with fewer students attending, while public schools face overcrowding.
“Public-private partnerships could leverage these facilities and enhance educational offerings,” he suggested.
The Yafo Institute president highlighted that private schools often provide quality education at lower costs compared to public institutions.
“By implementing a decentralised scholarship system, the same scholarship amount could be allocated to students attending private schools,” he explained.
Mr. Dwamena urged the government to recognise and support the contributions of private education providers to ensure a more balanced and effective educational system.
“The potential benefits of collaboration between the public and private educational sectors in addressing infrastructure challenges and enhancing access to quality education for all Ghanaian students will go a long way to improving education,” he said.
BY Prince Fiifi Yorke
