The government of Ghana will, from this year, expand the free Senior High School (SHS) programme to cover public Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institution first-year students, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has announced.

President Akufo-Addo who emphasised investments in the educational sector as being a key priority of his government was speaking at this year’s ‘President’s Independence Day Awards' held on Tuesday, 2 March 2022, at the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC).

He noted that the government intends to deepen the education of the Ghanaian population so as to attain the country’s “industrialisation objective.”

This, he further noted “means there will be increasing emphasis in our education system on science and technology education and technical and vocational training.”

The President also indicated that the construction of the 20 Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) centres across the country are at various stages of construction.

“In addition to the ongoing construction of the Accra STEM Academy, the government has commenced the construction of 20 science, technology, engineering and mathematics centres across the country with all twenty-eight at various stages of completion.

“The completion of nine model senior high schools across the country is imminent. This year the government will expand the free senior high school programme to cover all first-year students in public TVET institutions,” President Akufo-Addo stated.