By Benjamin Nii Nai Anyetei
Calls are growing for Ghana’s private schools to be fully recognised as strategic partners in delivering quality education, with sector leaders pushing for policy reforms that could see government subsidies extended to vetted institutions.
At the 3rd Annual Education Leadership Summit organised by the Ghana National Council of Private Schools (GNACOPS) at the Bunso Cocoa Research Institute, education stakeholders warned that without stronger support, hundreds of private schools risk closure — a move that could leave thousands of pupils without access to formal education.
Between 2020 and 2025, 184 private schools shut their doors after being excluded from the Free Senior High School programme, according to education policy monitoring data. Now, the National Schools Inspectorate Authority (NaSIA) is requiring all pre-tertiary private schools to secure licensing and meet full compliance standards by July 2024. While the policy aims to raise quality, many owners say the process is costly and burdensome.
GNACOPS Executive Director Obenfo Nana Kwasi Gyetuah told participants that private schools are often the only education option in underserved rural and peri-urban areas. “We are not here to compete with public schools,” he said. “We are partners in the mission to deliver equitable and innovative learning for every Ghanaian child.”
Eastern Regional Minister Hon. Rita Adjei Awatey added that government is considering a targeted subsidy scheme for qualified private schools, allowing them to admit pupils who cannot find space in public institutions. She noted that the policy could be a game-changer for access in disadvantaged communities.
For NaSIA’s Inspector General Prof. Salifu Tahiru Azeko, the key is trust. He assured school owners that the current compliance drive is “not intended to close down schools” but to strengthen the credibility of the private sector in the eyes of parents and policymakers.
The summit ended with the launch of a five-year GNACOPS strategic plan, focused on job creation, teacher training, and affordable education models that can be sustained even in low-income communities.
