Sustaining Free Secondary Education in Ghana: A Sustainable Cost-Sharing Model for Reforming the Free Senior High School Policy

Senior High School (SHS) education is central to human capital development and national competitiveness in developing contexts such as Ghana. The introduction of the Free Senior High School (FSHS) policy in 2017 significantly expanded access and equity in secondary education by removing financial barriers to participation. However, persistent concerns regarding implementation capacity, educational quality, financing adequacy, and long-term sustainability reveal critical policy gaps. This study adopts a qualitative conceptual approach, drawing on an integrative literature review and thematic analysis of scholarly and policy literature to examine the sustainability challenges of the FSHS policy. The analysis is informed by Kingdon's Multiple Streams Framework, Human Capital Theory, and the Education for Sustainable Development perspective. Five interrelated themes emerged: expansion of access and equity; policy formulation, political commitment, and institutional preparedness; tensions between policy intentions and implementation realities; structural and operational constraints undermining quality; and policy evaluation gaps and sustainability concerns. The study proposes a Sustainable Cost-Sharing Model (SCSM) based on differentiated contributions aligned with ability to pay. The model reframes secondary education financing as a shared responsibility among the state, households, and institutions, offering a conceptual pathway for sustaining access, strengthening educational quality, improving system resilience, and enhancing long-term policy sustainability.