President Akufo-Addo has congratulated graduates from the free SHS policy implementation who topped the recent West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

Hosting some eight graduates at the Jubilee House on Friday, the President stated that he was the happiest person in the country upon receiving news that all three top slots were occupied by Ghanaians.

“When your results came out, you have to know that the happiest person in Ghana was not even your parents, it was me. I was ecstatic and when I was told what your achievements have been - 465 people in your generation in WAEC exams who had achieved 8As, 411 of them were Ghanaians. Wow! I was beside myself. And then the icing on the cake, the three excellent students. The ones who won the excellence awards. All three were also Ghanaians,” he said.

According to President Akufo-Addo, despite the challenging times Covid-19 pandemic has presented, these students however managed to make the nation proud.

The Commander-in-Chief further revealed that the successes chalked by Ghana in the whole of West Africa goes further to prove that the free SHS policy implemented under the Akufo-Addo regime has been productive and a great investment.

“So I speak for myself, I speak for the country in saying that we are very proud of your achievements. You had to do it in a very difficult circumstance with this Covid and all the disruptions it brought. But you persevered and justified the investment that has been made.

“You took seriously the opportunity that has been given to you and today, I see all these important persons... You are going to give us the human resources we need to develop this country,” he added.

The graduates were admonished to focus on furthering their education so they can contribute their quota to the nation's development.

Meanwhile, President Akufo-Addo has assured Ghanaians that the governing administration would see to the continuation of the free SHS initiative to provide more Ghanaian children with the opportunity to grow and better themselves.

“It means that the investment has been worthwhile and we are going to continue with it. We are going to make it a permanent feature in our educational system, the free SHS and make it possible for every young person who wants to study and grow to be able to do so,” he stated.

He also advised Ghanaians to embody the virtues of hard work and determination, and dismiss claims that ethnicity or wealth would ensure academic excellence and subsequently develop the country.

“Talents, ability, hard work, are not based on societal, class, ethnic or religion. The students, the young geniuses who are going to transform our lives in Ghana can be from anywhere as I see from here. Even from listening to your names, I can see you come from different parts of the country. It isn't because somebody's parents are wealthy....” he concluded.