The University of Memphis is set to host Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh (NAPO), former Minister of Energy and Education in Ghana, on October 18, 2024, to discuss the success story of the Free Senior High School (SHS).

As part of a broader discussion on global education policy, NAPO will deliver a lecture titled “Implementing a National Policy for Educational Access and Equity.”

This event will take place in UC Bluff Room (304) at 10:00 AM, coming at a crucial time when issues of educational access are increasingly urgent worldwide.

NAPO's address is expected to offer a detailed look at how national policies, like the Free SHS program, can be implemented effectively to ensure equal access to education for all, setting a model for other nations to follow.

The Free Senior High School (SHS) Program in Ghana is a government initiative launched in September 2017 aimed at providing free secondary education to all eligible students across the country.

This policy ensures that students who complete Junior High School (JHS) can transition to Senior High School without paying tuition fees, examination fees, and other costs such as textbooks, meals, and boarding for residential students.

The program was introduced under the leadership of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and championed by Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, who was Ghana’s Minister of Education at the time.

Its goal is to increase access to quality education, reduce the financial burden on families, and improve literacy rates while helping bridge the gap in educational opportunities between the rich and poor.