Budget approved for Free SHS implementation 2017-2021, amounted to over GH¢7billion-Minister

Accra-Ghana, March 22, GNA – The Ministry of Education approved budget allocation for the implementation of the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) Programme between 2017-2021 amounted to GH¢7,623,783,456.00 says Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, the Minister for Education.
Dr Adutwum disclosed this on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday in response to a question from Mr Peter Kwasi Nortsu-Kotoe, Member of Parliament (MP) for Akatsi North, for National Democratic Congress.
During the year under review, he said the Ministry of Finance released a total of GH¢5,182,205,131.91 to the Education Ministry for the execution of the Free SHS Programme.
The Free SHS Programme was introduced by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s government to improve access to and quality of secondary education in Ghana.
The Programme since its inception has contributed to improving learning outcomes in the various SHS.
Mr Nortsu-Kotoe, also a Ranking Member of the Education Committee of Parliament inquired how much the government had spent on the Free SHS Programme between 2017-2021 given conflicting figures on how much the government had committed so far.
“Mr Speaker, the total expenditure for the period amounted to GH¢5,119,794,501.22,” Dr Adutwum said.