The University of Ghana's intention to withdraw students whose Grade Point Averages (GPAs) fall below 1.0 has reignited an important debate about the quality of Ghana's educational system. While the university has a responsibility to uphold academic standards, the situation should compel us to examine the weaknesses in the system that prepares students for tertiary education. The question is not merely why some students are failing at university, but whether they received the necessary foundation to succeed.
At the centre of this debate is the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy, a programme introduced to remove financial barriers to secondary education. Its benefits are undeniable. It has provided substantial financial relief to poor parents, expanded access to education for children across the country and offered opportunities to students who might otherwise have been denied secondary education because of their families' financial circumstances. These achievements deserve recognition and protection.
However, the noble objective of Free SHS does not excuse the weaknesses in its implementation. In the rush to fulfil a major campaign promise, the government appeared to prioritise enrolment over the essential conditions required for quality education. The result has been a policy whose expansion has not always been matched by adequate resources, infrastructure and academic support.
First, students were admitted into senior high schools without sufficient attention to their academic preparedness. Some entered with serious deficiencies in reading, writing, comprehension and numeracy. Poor BECE performance should not automatically deny a child access to education, but it should trigger remedial support to address learning gaps. Expanding access without providing that support merely transfers the problem from one educational level to another.
Second, the shortage of teaching and learning materials has undermined effective instruction. Teachers and students have faced difficulties accessing adequate textbooks aligned with the revised curriculum, despite the policy having operated for years. A curriculum cannot deliver its intended outcomes when teachers lack the resources to teach it effectively, and students lack the materials needed for independent study.
Third, infrastructure has failed to keep pace with enrolment in many schools. Overcrowded classrooms, inadequate facilities and insufficient teaching resources have created conditions that make effective teaching and learning difficult. Increasing student numbers without corresponding investment in classrooms, libraries, laboratories and other essential facilities places an unreasonable burden on both teachers and learners.
Another concern is the handling of academic progression. Where students advance without mastering essential competencies and face insufficient consequences for persistent underperformance, academic discipline can suffer. Students need encouragement and remedial support, but they must also understand that progression should be earned through learning. A system that places insufficient emphasis on academic accountability risks producing certificates that do not accurately reflect students' abilities.
The political dimension cannot be ignored. Because Free SHS was a major electoral promise, the pressure to implement it quickly may have overshadowed the need for careful planning. Education policy must be guided by evidence, resources and long-term national interests, not merely the desire to fulfil campaign commitments. Political promises become meaningful only when they translate into sustainable improvements in educational outcomes.
The University of Ghana controversy may therefore be a warning of deeper problems. Students who reach tertiary institutions without adequate foundational skills can struggle with lectures, assignments, independent study and examinations. Nevertheless, it would be unfair to assume that every struggling student is a product of Free SHS or that every student who obtained impressive grades did so undeservedly. Many have worked hard and performed exceptionally well. The concern is whether the system consistently ensures that academic grades reflect genuine competence.
The consequences could eventually extend into the workplace. Graduates who lack essential communication, analytical and problem-solving skills may struggle to perform effectively, forcing employers to invest additional resources in training. This could affect productivity and undermine national development. Although such outcomes are not inevitable, the possibility demands urgent attention.
The solution is not to abandon Free SHS but to correct its weaknesses. Government must provide adequate textbooks, improve school infrastructure, strengthen teacher support and introduce structured remedial programmes for students with learning difficulties. Academic assessment must remain credible, and progression policies must combine support with clear performance standards. Universities, for their part, should strengthen academic counselling and early interventions while maintaining their standards.
Ultimately, free education must mean more than free admission. It must guarantee a genuine opportunity to learn. The success of Free SHS should not be measured only by the number of students enrolled, but by the knowledge, skills and competencies they acquire.
The University of Ghana's intended withdrawal of students with GPAs below 1.0 should prompt a serious national reassessment of our educational priorities. We must preserve the policy's achievements while confronting its failures honestly.
Free education without quality is an incomplete promise; access without learning is an empty achievement; and certificates without competence threaten national development. Ghana must move beyond political celebration and ensure that every child who enters school has a fair opportunity not merely to graduate, but to become genuinely educated.
The Trial News
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