'I 100% support the free SHS policy' but it's time to review it - Palmer-Buckle

Metropolitan Archbishop of Cape Coast restates support for Free SHS

Palmer-Buckle, however, wants policy reviewed

Accra Aca Old boy launches book about the school

Archbishop Charles Gabriel Palmer-Buckle has called on government to review the free Senior High School, SHS, policy.

According to the him, despite fully supporting the policy, the time had come

Read full articlefor the government to review it by holding broad stakeholder engagement.

He made the call while speaking at the launch of a book titled, “Accra ACA, Bleoo, The History of the Accra Academy from James Town to Bubiashie.”

Rev. Palmer-Buckle, who is the Metropolitan Archbishop of Cape Coast, explained that streamlining the policy will culminate in better education.

“I support 100% the free SHS policy. [But] It is now time to have a stakeholder engagement to review the free SHS,” he is quoted to have said.

According to him, fee payment at the SHS level has become alien to some parents, “They have divulged that to government and are blaming government,” he stressed referring to some challenged the policy is facing.

The Free SHS policy has in recent times attracted calls for review. The clergyman's call comes after that of two top academics - Prof Quartey, a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana and Prof. Stephen Adei, a former Rector of GIMPA - have called for reviews.

Free SHS is a policy of the government of Ghana, which started in September 2017.

“Every child in Ghana who qualifies for, and is placed in a public Senior High School for his secondary education will have his/her fees absorbed by the government,” the Free SHS secretariat said on its website.