Otumfuo Osei Tutu II
The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has hailed the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy as the most audacious social intervention in Ghana’s Fourth Republic.
According to him, the Free SHS has bridged a critical gap in the country’s education system.
He was speaking during a special congregation ceremony held in his honour over the weekend by the University of Cape Coast (UCC) at Cape Coast in the Central Region.
Otumfuo was honoured with an Honorary Doctorate Degree from the university, the prestigious award recognising his outstanding contributions to nation-building, peace, and development.
In an introspective look at Ghana’s educational history, the Asantehene stated that the country’s focus was on primary education prior to independence, followed by a shift toward university education, with secondary school excluded.
He noted that the neglect of secondary education due to financial limitations left a glaring gap in the nation’s educational trajectory.
According to him, previous education reforms failed to address this gap, making the decision to implement the Free SHS programme a truly ambitious move.
“Undoubtedly, the Free Senior High School programme stands out as a remarkably bold social intervention in our Fourth Republic,” he said.
“The pre-independence initiative for free education encompassed primary schooling and subsequently tertiary education, yet the secondary level remained beyond the state’s means,” he stressed.
Otumfuo indicated that it was no surprise that Free SHS education had remained a central topic in national dialogue.
The Asantehene underscored the significance of the Free SHS policy, stressing that it fulfills Ghana’s obligation to guarantee universal access to basic education for every citizen, thereby upholding a fundamental human right.
For him, by providing free secondary education, the government is not only investing in the future of its youth but also honouring its commitment to equitable and inclusive development.
The Asantehene argued that to empower Ghanaian children to thrive in the global economy, they must have access to the same high-quality fundamental education as their peers in other parts of the world.
He emphasised that equal access to standard education is essential to leveling the playing field, and ensuring that Ghana’s future generations can compete and succeed on the global stage.
“Given that basic education in other parts of the world includes secondary schooling, it is only equitable that Ghana upgrades its fundamental education to keep pace with the times,” he pointed out.
The Vice Chancellor of UCC, Prof. Johnson Nyarko Boampong, praised the Asantehene for his tireless dedication to promoting unity, educational excellence, quality healthcare, and entrepreneurial spirit.
He noted that Otumfuo’s unwavering commitment has had a profoundly positive impact on the lives of countless individuals and the nation as a whole.
Prof. Boampong again eulogised the Asantehene as a paragon of compassion, concord, and democratic values, whose exemplary leadership has been instrumental in promoting peace and harmony.
Minister of Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, also lauded Otumfuo for his exceptional vision, profound understanding, and unwavering commitment to education, which he said has yielded remarkable improvements in educational outcomes.
By Ernest Kofi Adu