A total of Ghc 3.2 billion has been spent on government’s flagship program Free Senior High School since its commencement in 2017.
This according to Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta has relieved parents of the financial burden of taking care of their wards in school.
Delivering the 2020 midyear budget review to parliament on Thursday, Mr. Ofori Atta implied that the colossal amount of money spent on the education of students in Senior High Schools are monies that have essentially been put in the pockets of parents.
“Free SHS has saved parents and guardians a cumulative total of GHC3.2 billion since 2017 and that is money in their pockets and investment in their future. This intervention has sustained the schooling of 1,199,750 students to date, a marked increase from the 813,443 students enrolled in 2016/2017,” he said.
He noted that “In providing equal opportunity for foundational education, through school feeding, we have invested GHC1,310.92 million since 2017 as compared to the GHC925.56 million in the three years prior to 2017.”
In what he described as improving the lives of Ghanaians since the assumption of office of the Nana Addo led administration, the Finance Minister added that government is consciously investing in the livelihoods of Ghanaians covering the area of health, education, support to households amongst others in response to the plight caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
