The Free Senior High School policy of Ghana broke the first sacred stage of the policy development cycle and, as if that were not enough, it broke all the others.

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Abstract

This paper critically examines Ghana’s Free Senior High School (FSHS) policy using Haddad and Demsky’s education policy development framework. Introduced as a solution to declining SHS enrolments and financial barriers, the FSHS policy bypassed key stages of policy formulation, including stakeholder consultation, situation analysis, and budget planning. While the policy aimed to promote access and equity, its rushed implementation led to systemic strain, misinformation, and resistance from critical stakeholders. The analysis reveals that without adherence to structured policy development processes, even well-intentioned policies may yield unintended consequences and polarize national discourse.

Authors

• Lukman Ziblim, Middle East Technical University

• Mohammed Ibrahim, Arizona State University