The Growth and Development of Free Education in Northern Ghana: 1951-1966

Abstract

Free Education has always been thought of in terms of its role played for the social, political and economic development in a country. The idea of a Free Education Policy underlined the role of education in development to meet the human resource needs of an economy. State and public sector institutions were central to the development strategy of the newly independent countries in Africa. The year 1951 saw the proposals made for the implementation of the Free Education Policy and 1952 saw the actual implementation of the policy in Ghana. Despite the weakening of the policy in the late 1960s as a result of financial problems the policy contributed in the development of the area. Free Education became a major issue especially in Northern Ghana where education remained weak especially due to quality challenges, weak institutional capacities and inadequate funding. Free Education was vital for Northern Ghana’s sustainable socioeconomic development. This thesis discusses the growth of Free Education in Northern Ghana. It examines the rationale behind the policy and how it was implemented and the challenges it faced. It also assesses the role of Free Education in the social, political and economic development of Northern Ghana.