The Executive Director of Eduwatch, Kofi Asare, has raised concerns over persistent funding delays in the Free Senior High School (SHS) programme, describing the government’s approach as reactive and unsustainable.

Eight years after its implementation, Mr Asare argues, critical components like funding for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) continue to face avoidable challenges.

"Since the inclusion of Free WASSCE in 2020, WAEC has had to publicly advocate each year for the Ministry of Education to release funds. This situation, where public outcry becomes necessary to secure funding, reflects a lack of proper financial planning and commitment," he said in an interview on Joy FM Middaynews on Tuesday, December 24.

Mr Asare noted that despite parliamentary approval of the annual budget for Free SHS, cash flow agreements between the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Education remain unclear.

He stressed the need for specific budgetary allocations to ensure timely disbursement of funds, particularly for vital areas such as the WASSCE.

"Important commitments like WASSCE funding should never become an annual crisis. We must be intentional in structuring the programme's finances to avoid such lapses. This is not progress, especially after the strides we made to recover from COVID-19 disruptions."

He added that as institutions prepare to reopen in the coming academic year, unresolved financial bottlenecks could hinder the programme's effectiveness.

The Free SHS initiative, introduced in 2017, was designed to provide free access to secondary education for all eligible students. While it has significantly increased enrollment, challenges such as delayed funding, infrastructure shortages, and operational inefficiencies continue to hamper its impact.

Stakeholders are now urging the government to establish clearer guidelines and sustainable financial practices to ensure the programme’s success without recurrent crises.