At the 9th Mfantsipim Old Boys Association (MOBA) Annual Engagement Series, panellists urged the government to allow broader stakeholder involvement in the funding of the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy. The panel, which included former Senior Lecturer Dr. Kenneth Shelton Aikins, Senior Lecturer Dr. Kweku Ainuson, and Human Resource professional Jonas Manu-Essamoah, emphasized the need for a sustainable financing model that leverages support from various stakeholders such as old students, religious groups, and businesses.
Dr. Kweku Ainuson highlighted the importance of institutionalizing stakeholder contributions by offering incentives such as tax breaks. He pointed out that countries with diversified educational funding rely heavily on endowment funds, supported by alumni and corporate entities, a model that could benefit Ghana’s SHS system.
“Affinity to schools is particularly strong at the SHS level in Ghana, with many alumni eager to contribute. However, without clear rules and government encouragement, this potential remains untapped,” Dr. Ainuson explained.
The event, moderated by international IT consultant Sulemana Abubakar, focused on the theme “148 Years of Advancing Educational Excellence in Ghana: The Future.” The panellists, all old boys of Mfantsipim, discussed key challenges facing Ghana’s education system, including the commercialization of education and the disproportionate access for rural and low-income households.
Kweku Bedu-Addo, a former CEO of Standard Chartered Bank Southern Africa, noted the increasing reliance on private tuition as a barrier to equitable education access, especially for rural communities. He called for a reallocation of public spending to prioritize education, emphasizing the need for data-driven solutions to target public assistance to those most in need.
The panellists collectively agreed that sustainable education reform would require a shift away from politics and toward a commitment to social justice and equitable resource allocation. The MOBA Engagement Series, established in 2016 as part of Mfantsipim’s 140th anniversary, continues to provide a platform for addressing national issues, particularly in the field of education.
