Ghana - Schools. What is wrong?

 

Ghana’s Educational Landscape: A System of Growth and Digital Transformation

Ghana currently holds approximately 0.43% of the world’s population, with a national population of 34,828,523. Despite this modest share, the country is making remarkable strides in its education sector, especially in secondary education.

There are over 200 private high schools across Ghana, reflecting a growing demand for quality and specialized education. Additionally, more than 180 public Senior High Schools (SHS) have been digitally established, transitioning away from traditional paper-based systems. This shift is a bold step toward modernizing the country's educational monitoring and management.

Ghana’s formal education system is structured as follows:

6 years of Primary School

3 years of Junior High School (JHS)

3 years of Senior High School (SHS)

4 years of University education

Formal education up to the SHS level is entirely free, thanks to the Free SHS Policy launched by the government in September 2017. The initiative officially took off in the 2017/2018 academic year, removing financial barriers and enabling thousands of students to access quality secondary education.

At the end of SHS, students sit for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), a critical milestone that determines tertiary education placement and career pathways.

Historically, Wesleyan High School was the first secondary school established in the then Gold Coast, now Ghana, on April 3, 1876. It later became Mfantsipim School, a prestigious Methodist institution located in Cape Coast. Mfantsipim remains one of the most respected SHS institutions in Ghana’s educational heritage.

Stay tuned for more insights in the next update.