Private schools ready to join Free SHS scheme, CHOPSS tells government

The Conference of Heads of Private Secondary Schools (CHOPSS) has indicated that numerous private institutions stand ready to be incorporated into Ghana's Free Senior High School (SHS) programme, potentially expanding access to secondary education across the country.

This development comes as the government continues to grapple with enrollment pressures in public secondary schools. By opening private school capacity to the free scheme, the policy could absorb more students while easing congestion in state-run facilities.

Expanding educational access

Private schools have traditionally operated independently of government programmes, relying on tuition fees to function. The willingness of CHOPSS members to participate in Free SHS represents a significant shift in the education landscape. Such participation could enable thousands of additional students who might otherwise lack secondary school placement to gain admission to quality educational institutions.

The move also addresses a persistent challenge in Ghana's secondary education system: the mismatch between student demand and available spaces in public schools. Many qualified candidates are unable to secure placement annually due to limited capacity, forcing families to either seek private alternatives or forgo secondary education entirely.

Why it matters for Ghana

Ghana's Free SHS policy, launched in 2017, fundamentally transformed access to secondary education by eliminating tuition costs for students. However, the programme has faced implementation challenges, including infrastructure constraints, overcrowding, and quality concerns in some public schools. Bringing private institutions into the fold could help address these bottlenecks.

For families, particularly those in rural areas or lower-income brackets, expanded private school participation means more genuine choices and reduced pressure on the public system. For private schools, participation in the free scheme could stabilise their operations through guaranteed government payments whilst maintaining their traditional autonomy in curriculum delivery and institutional management.

The proposal also has fiscal implications. The government would need to establish clear payment frameworks with participating private schools to ensure sustainability. Questions remain about how fees would be standardised, how quality would be monitored across diverse private institutions, and whether government funding would be sufficient to support expanded participation.

Path forward

CHOPSS's readiness to engage suggests potential for negotiation between the private education sector and government. Previous discussions between private schools and the Ministry of Education have highlighted concerns about adequacy of per-student funding, infrastructure support, and regulatory oversight. These issues would need resolution before meaningful integration occurs.

For the initiative to succeed, clear criteria for participating schools would be essential—covering academic standards, facilities, teacher qualifications, and accessibility. Additionally, any expansion should not compromise the quality of education or create a two-tier system within the free scheme.

The conference's offer represents an opportunity to strengthen Ghana's secondary education system by leveraging existing private sector capacity whilst maintaining the equity principles underlying the Free SHS policy.