Make SHS autonomous: Former Vice-Chancellor of University of Ghana Urges Gov’t

Former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana (UG), Professor Ernest Aryeetey, has suggested that senior high schools (SHSs) in Ghana be granted some degree of autonomy to improve the quality of education in the country.

According to him, granting such autonomy would allow the schools to raise funds to complement the government’s efforts, manage their academic programs, and protect their assets.

Professor Aryeetey cited Achimota School as an example of a school that could mobilize sufficient resources from parents and the private sector if granted the autonomy to do so.

Speaking at the 96th Founders’ Day of Achimota School, Professor Aryeetey, who is an alumnus of the school, stated that granting autonomy to schools, especially those considered top schools, would not lead to elitism but rather offer an opportunity for schools to be innovative and improve their services to the country.

He emphasized that Achimota School was established by the colonial government with a governing council that was independent and autonomous, with a mandate to develop generations of leaders in all spheres of life.

The suggestion by Professor Aryeetey follows calls by civil society organizations, notable personalities, and interest groups for the Ghanaian government to stop the wholesale free SHS policy and allow parents who can afford to pay fees to do so.

The Headmaster of Achimota School, Ebenezer Graham-Acquah, highlighted some of the school’s challenges, including the lack of adequate infrastructure to cater to the needs of its numerous students and the encroachment on its lands.