St. Andrews Senior High School in Assin Fosu will celebrate its 20th anniversary from July 14–20, 2025, centering festivities on a critical national question: “The Inclusion of Private SHS in the Free Education Program: A Mirage or Reality?” The milestone coincides with Ghana’s pilot integration of 25 private schools into the Free SHS policy via the 2025 Computerized School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS).

This inclusion aims to alleviate overcrowding in public schools and expand equitable access to quality education. The anniversary’s keynote Speech and Prize-Giving Day will host prominent policymakers, including Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu and Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, signaling the government’s focus on sustainable funding. Prof. G.K.T. Oduro, Technical Advisor to the Education Minister, will chair the event.

Also attending are Prof. Eric Nkansah, Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, and Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, National Chairman of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), highlighting the policy’s political significance. The dialogue unfolds as stakeholders question long-term financing models. Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene, recently proposed a hybrid approach where affluent parents subsidize costs to reduce state burden.

While the policy shift is hailed as progressive, concerns persist over resource allocation and private sector roles in public education. St. Andrews’ celebration now serves as both an academic milestone and a catalyst for national reform discussions.

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