Dr. Gideon Boako Calls for Domestic Revenue to Fund Free SHS, Citing Concerns Over Borrowing

Dr. Gideon Boako, the Deputy Ranking Member on Parliament's Finance Committee, has urged the government to shift the financing of the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy from borrowed funds to domestic revenue. Speaking during a parliamentary session, Dr. Boako challenged the Finance Minister on the government's current strategies for generating local revenue, emphasizing that the long-term sustainability of the flagship education program depends on internal financial strength rather than a reliance on loans. His remarks highlight a growing concern over the fiscal path chosen to maintain one of the country's most significant social interventions.

During the debate, Dr. Boako questioned the government's ability to mobilize sufficient domestic resources for education, contrasting the current approach with that of the previous administration. He pointed out that the previous government did not resort to borrowing to fund the Free SHS initiative, arguing that the current reliance on external debt is a departure from sustainable fiscal practices. By calling for a more disciplined approach to domestic revenue mobilization, he emphasized the need for the Finance Ministry to prioritize educational funding within the national budget to protect the program from international market volatility and debt pressures.

The call for local financing comes at a critical time when Ghana is seeking to stabilize its economy and manage national debt levels. Dr. Boako argued that improving domestic revenue collection is the only viable path to ensure that the Free SHS policy continues to benefit millions of Ghanaian students without compromising the country's broader economic health. He stressed that a dedicated focus on local resource mobilization would provide a more reliable and transparent framework for funding the education sector, which remains a top priority for the nation's development.

As the government continues to navigate the complexities of education financing, the focus now turns to how the Finance Ministry will respond to calls for greater fiscal self-reliance. Dr. Boako’s intervention underscores the ongoing parliamentary debate regarding the balance between ambitious social policies and fiscal responsibility. The future of the Free SHS program may ultimately depend on the government's ability to implement the necessary reforms to generate the revenue needed to support Ghana's educational goals internally, ensuring the program remains a permanent fixture of the nation's social contract.