An evaluation of the Free Senior High School Policy in Ghana
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Date
2021
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Taylor & Francis Group
Abstract
Based on 65 interviews and secondary information, this study evaluated the programme, process and political dimensions of the Ghana
Free Senior High School Education (SHS) Policy. The evidence from the
data showed that the programme and its political dimensions were
emphasised to the neglect of the process dimension. Effectiveness,
one of the criteria in the programme dimension, was somewhat
stressed. The remaining five criteria, including Equity, efficiency and
responsiveness, were ignored. Overall, the political dimension was the
most popular focus given that the introduction of the policy itself had
been positively welcomed and this served to bolster confidence in the
political regime as a whole. Some of the five stages of the process
dimension, e.g. agenda setting and formulation, were poorly executed
or were skipped, and implementation was fraught with challenges,
such as inadequate funding and limited space. Implications in relation
to the Multiple Streams Model, policy success/failure theory and the
political settlement framework are discussed.
Description
Research Article
Keywords
Fee-free, secondary education, programme, process, political, evaluation, sustainability