Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh has highlighted significant shortcomings in Ghana's educational system prior to the introduction of the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) program, particularly in relation to contact hours—an essential factor for student success.

According to NAPO, the previous system, which operated under a three-term structure, provided students with fewer contact hours than the semester system, adversely affecting academic outcomes.

Speaking in an interview with Channel One’s Umaru Sanda, NAPO described the system's impact on student performance, emphasizing that the nine-term, three-year program used before Free SHS was inherently flawed.

“Before Free SHS, I kept saying that the SSS program was a nine-term program, but it didn’t reflect in the actual contact hours for the students,” he noted.

NAPO explained that, in the past, final-year students often began their external exams as early as February, causing them to miss out on two full terms of classroom instruction.

“This reduction in contact hours directly impacted their preparation and overall performance,” he said, identifying this limitation as one of the key factors undermining the quality of education during that period.

Reflecting on the differences between the three-year and four-year education systems, NAPO observed that extending the duration of secondary education provided students with more time to engage with their studies, leading to improved outcomes.

“There is a direct link between contact hours and performance. In years when we extended the duration of secondary education, results improved. The more contact hours, the better the outcomes,” he emphasized.

However, NAPO acknowledged the challenges of increasing contact hours within a three-year framework, particularly in terms of scheduling and infrastructure.

He noted that achieving similar success in the shorter program would require the full optimization of available resources—a challenge Ghana faced before the introduction of Free SHS.

The former Education Minister underscored that increasing contact hours was a central objective of the Free SHS program.

“This was one of the areas the government sought to address to give students more time with their teachers and the curriculum,” NAPO stated.

He concluded that focusing on expanding contact hours was essential to enhancing students' academic preparation and overall success.

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