According to President Akufo-Addo, “six (6) years on following the implementation of the Free Senior High School policy, which has guaranteed a minimum of Senior High School education for 1.7 million Ghanaian children, the highest such enrolment in our history, I can state, without equivocation, that I am very proud of the policy and of its results thus far.”

Delivering an address at the 70th Anniversary Celebration of Opoku Ware Senior High School, on Saturday, 3rd December 2022, the President noted that the 2022 WASSCE results of the third batch of the “Akufo-Addo graduates” shows 60.39% of students recording A1-C6 in English, as opposed to 51.6% in 2016.”

In Integrated Science, he noted that 62.45% recorded A1-C6 in Integrated Science in 2022, as opposed to 48.35% in 2016, with the 2022 result being a slight regression from the 2021 pass rate of 65.70%.

President Akufo-Addo added that 61.39% of students recorded A1-C6 in Mathematics, as compared to 33.12% in 2016; and 71.51% recorded A1-C6 in Social Studies, as compared to 54.55% in 2016.

“Lest we forget, the 2021 batch of students, who also obtained very commendable results, were the pioneers of the double track system, which elicited a lot of vilification and unfounded criticism on its introduction,” he said.

The President continued, “The 2022 results are the best of the last eight (8) years. Surely, there can no longer be any controversy about the validity of the Free SHS policy and its consequential measures. It is working, and working well.”

In his address, President Akufo-Addo told the gathering, which included the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, and the Chairperson of the Council of State, Nana Otuo Sriboe II, history, and the experiences of developed nations, have shown the world that the most efficient way to create a society of opportunities, and, thereby, guarantee the future of our nation, is by investing in education and skills training of our youth.

This, he said, is because “it is the people of Ghana, Ghanaians like you and I, and especially the youth of today, who are going to build Ghana. Without an educated populace, we cannot transition from the status of a developing to a developed nation.” 

It is for this reason, President Akufo-Addo stated that, in spite of the economic difficulties confronting our nation, “Government has devoted even more resources for the running of the Free SHS policy. From a budget of GH¢2.3 billion in 2022, a 28.6% increase has been applied to this year’s budget for Free SHS, i.e., GH¢2.96 billion.”

Just like he did at the Farmers’ Day Celebration, the President called on all Ghanaians, in these difficult times, to support the fiscal measures that the Government has proposed to enable us achieve the goal of restoring macroeconomic stability and promoting inclusive growth, whilst protecting the poor.

“I am optimistic the policies outlined in the 2023 budget will go a long way to address the economic challenges with which we are faced,” he added.