The Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has called for a comprehensive validation of the data concerning beneficiaries of Ghana’s Free Senior High School (Free SHS) programme.

Speaking during his maiden visit to the Ministry on Wednesday, 22nd January 2025, following his swearing-in by President John Dramani Mahama, Mr Iddrisu stressed the importance of accurate data in shaping policy discussions and implementing reforms.

“One of the foremost issues requiring scrutiny is the statistical accuracy of how many Ghanaians have benefited from the Free SHS programme,” the Minister remarked.

He highlighted discrepancies between reported figures, citing his research, which estimates the number of beneficiaries at 3.9 million, as opposed to public and parliamentary records that place the figure at 5.1 million.

“I am not claiming that my figures are definitive, but the reported figure of 5.1 million appears misleading. My analysis of the data from 2017 to 2023 suggests that the actual number of beneficiaries does not exceed 3.9 million.

However, this needs to be validated as a matter of priority,” Mr Iddrisu explained, adding that his aim was not to discredit existing records but to establish a reliable baseline for informed decision-making.

The Education Minister also announced plans to convene a National Education Conference to evaluate the state of Ghana’s education sector and devise actionable reforms.

He noted that validating the Free SHS data would be a critical component of the conference, serving as a foundation for addressing broader educational challenges and charting the way forward.