The latest report by Africa Education Watch has revealed the average government expenditure on senior high school students between the 2017/18 and 2021/22 academic years.

According to the study, government spending per student under the Free SHS policy was GH¢1,241, while parents spent GH¢4,185 per year within the period.

This highlighted the government's challenges with the policy, as its budget credibility rate declined continuously between the 2019/20 and 2021/22 academic years.

Meanwhile, the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) has called for a review of the policy to allow parents who can afford it to pay their children’s fees and other expenses.

"Someone who lives in Dansoman, and attends school in, let’s say, Kaneshie. If he or she sleeps in the mother’s house, eats the mother’s food, and takes transportation from Dansoman to Kaneshie to and fro. Then someone is also in a boarding house, the building provided by the government, the bed provided by the government, and the person is given three square meals, whether it is adequate or not, it is a three square meal. He does not take any transport so he or she is not under that stress that we’re talking about. So where then is the equity principle?"

The Association believes this will ease some of the government’s burden.