Only 3 out of 10 Primary School children in the Northern Region are likely to enjoy free SHS – Kofi Asare

The Northern Region is one of the poorest in Ghana.

Only 55% of children complete primary school in the region (UNICEF, 2020). Distance to school and poverty are major drivers.

Out of those who complete primary school, 28% are unable to enter JHS mainly because the majority (60%) of primary schools in the Northern Region do not have a JHS (CDD, 2022).

Out of those who enter JHS 1, 16% drop out again before JHS 3. Distance commuted to JHS is key, with some students walking more than 10 km a day in Zabzugu and Tatale Sanguli (Eduwatch, 2021).

After BECE, based on the national average of 90% JHS-SHS transition which is a huge improvement due to the free SHS and the ‘removal’ of admission cut-offs, only 10% of the candidates drop out before secondary.

In summary, only 3 out of 10 primary school children in the Northern Region are likely to enjoy free SHS.

If the government wants to increase equitable access to SHS, it must first, urgently fix the huge Primary-JHS transition gaps in underserved regions by providing reasonable access to primary and JHS.

I am very worried I am not seeing the urgency. Our Northern brothers seem unperturbed. Those with influence are busy preaching power.

The Northern Region situation is not too different from the other four (4) northern regions and Oti.