Enhancing the Implementation of Ghana’s Free Senior High Policy: The Role of Private Providers
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47941/jep.3572Keywords:
Free Senior High School, Sustainable Development Goal 4, Private Secondary School, Education Service Providers, Public-Private PartnershipsAbstract
Purpose: This study examined the role of private Senior High School providers in Ghana’s free senior high school program, highlighting the potential contributions of private secondary education to the program’s success. It addresses the lack of research on educational leadership and administration issues faced by non-state schools, particularly in Ghana, and contributes to the literature on public-private partnerships in education.
Methodology: This qualitative study, guided by an interpretive paradigm and realistic phenomenological methodology, explored the experiences of Ghanaian private senior high school administrators regarding the free SHS policy. Eight private SHS providers from the Bono East Region were interviewed using a standardized guide. The data were analyzed inductively, integrating interpretive phenomenology and thematic analysis, to identify key themes related to administrators’ roles and challenges.
Findings: Evidence from the data showed that the participation of private SHSs in the implementation of the free SHS policy would address infrastructure deficits and eliminate the “double-track system.” This partnership would enhance access, quality, and equity in senior high education systems. Private SHS providers face challenges, such as declining student enrollment, financial constraints, and the inability to hire subject-based teachers. Adaptive strategies such as alternative revenue generation, fee reduction, and extending the contact hours of teaching were adopted by private senior high providers to overcome these challenges.
Unique contribution to theory, practice, and policy: The study is explorative in nature and relied solely on primary data collected from Interviews with private senior secondary education providers. It contributes contextually to our understanding of the potential of private-public partnerships in education service provision for successful policy implementation. We further gain an understanding that enabling private participation in education service delivery is essential for policy success in contemporary Ghana.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Ernest Malir Lagnang, Francis Nangbeviel Sanyare, Gladys Diedong
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