SHS extra classes undermining Free SHS policy

I wish to bring to the attention of the Daily Graphic and the general public a troubling practice in some Senior High Schools (SHSs) that is quietly undermining Ghana’s Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy.

In many SHSs, teachers organise compulsory private “extra classes” for almost every subject and charge students between GH¢100 and GH¢200 per subject, in addition to selling pamphlets at exorbitant prices.

This has placed severe financial strain on parents, many of whom are already struggling under difficult economic conditions.

More concerning is how these additional classes are enforced.

Some teachers deliberately refuse to teach during officially allocated periods.

Others merely write the day's topic on the board and instruct students to attend paid extra classes for proper explanations. 

Teaching during normal school hours has effectively been compromised to create artificial demand for paid lessons.

This practice is unfair to students, exploitative of parents, and a grave disservice to the nation.

It is akin to daylight robbery and should be described as corruption.

The situation is exacerbated by the fact that many school heads are aware of these practices.

Parents who complain are often assured that investigations will be conducted, yet no action is taken and no feedback is provided.

The Free SHS policy was meant to ease the financial burden on parents and ensure equitable access to education.

Allowing these hidden costs to persist undermines the policy's purpose and risks turning it into a deception.

I respectfully call on the Ministry of Education, the Ghana Education Service and other relevant stakeholders to urgently investigate this matter and put a decisive stop to these exploitative practices before they erode public confidence in the Free SHS programme.

Thank you for giving citizens a platform to raise issues of national concern.

Solomon Wireko (PhD),
A concerned parent.