President Akufo-Addo has said that the WASSCE results of the second batch of students under the Free SHS policy, released by WAEC have given further credence that the policy is a success.

The President said even though there have been some challenges with the implementation of the policy, he is proud of its impact so far.

President Akufo-Addo said this at the 70th anniversary celebration of the Tamale Senior High School (TAMASCO) in Tamale, the Northern Regional Capital, on Saturday.

He noted that government has addressed many of the challenges associated with the policy.

The President said there are some people who have described the policy as a waste and that it would compromise the quality of education. However, they have been proven wrong.

"The WASSCE results of the second batch of students under the Free SHS policy indicates that 54% of students recorded A1 to C6 in English as opposed to 51.6% in 2016, 65.7% recording A1 to C6 in Integrated Science in 2021 as opposed to 48.35% in 2016, 54.11% recording A1 to C6 in Mathematics whiles 56.03% in Social Studies,” the President emphasised.

He said the 2021 batch of students are the pioneers of the double-track system, which was severely vilified. “Indeed it was here in TAMASCO in 2018 that I announced the double-track policy, Kudos to TAMASCO,” the President said.
 
President Akufo-Addo said another indication of the valuable contribution of the policy is the dramatic increase in the percentage of students from TAMASCO who have qualified for admission into university.

“In 2015 it was 29.2%, in 2016 it was 31.4%, in 2017 it was 34.7%, in 2018 31.3%, in 2019 it was 46.3% and in 2020 45.8%. Surely, there can no longer be any controversy about the validity of the Free SHS policy and its consequential measures, it is working,” he said

The President noted that there is the need for all to eschew parochial partisan considerations and agree that the Free SHS policy has become part of the country's educational architecture.

President Akufo Addo added that the government is committed to ensuring quality, relevant education that will produce confident, skilled global citizens who will be able to compete with their counterparts. He congratulated the school on its 70th anniversary.

The Headmaster of the school, Rev. Edward Azeka charged the students to live up to expectation because their predecessors have set standards they cannot lower.

He raised concerns over infrastructural challenges. The Headmaster also indicated that the school requires a school bus and a pickup vehicle among others.

Established in 1951, Tamale Senior High School is the first senior high school in the northern sector of Ghana. With twenty boys, the school was named the Government Secondary School. Its name later changed to Gbewa Secondary School in 1972 and then to Tamale Secondary School in 1976.

The school has produced many prominent Ghanaians including; late Dr. Hilla Limann, former President of Ghana, the late former Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, the current Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the Speaker of Parliament Alban Sumana Bagbin, the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, among others.