The Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, says contrary to pessimistic views that the introduction of the Free Senior High School would compromise quality education, data from WASSCE results released by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) proves otherwise.

Speaking at the closing session of the National Chief Imam’s annual Ramadan lectures (Tafsir) in Accra, Dr. Bawumia said that the remarkable record of the first batch of beneficiaries of Free SHS among four West African countries, proved that the government has not compromised quality education.

“When the Akufo-Addo government introduced the Free SHS policy, some people opposed it and said quality education would be compromised. But the 2020 West Africa Senior High School Examination shows that if anything, the free senior high school has improved the quality of education in Ghana.

“The WAEC with countries like Sierra Leone, Gambia, Nigeria, Ghana; the results show that of the total number of students who took the exam, there was a total number of 465 who got A in all their 8 subjects. Of the 465 in all these countries, 411 came from Ghana. The other 54 came from Nigeria but Nigerian students were 70% of all the students who took the exams but Ghana got 411 8As and they (Nigeria) got 54 8As,” he said.

He added: “That tells you the quality that we have produced. We should not underestimate what we are capable of and we should not underestimate what we are capable of.

“Free SHS is helping our students and of course helping our parents as well because they don’t have to pay.”

Dr. Bawumia urged all, particularly members of the Zongo community and other deprived communities to take advantage of the Free SHS programme to educate their children.