‘I Wouldn’t Be Where I Am Today Without Education’ – Ursula Owusu-Ekuful Defends Free SHS Program

Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Ghana’s Minister for Communications and Digitalization, has passionately defended the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) flagship Free Senior High School (SHS) initiative, which has faced continuous criticism from the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

During an interview on Pure FM with Kwame Adinkra, the Ablekuma West MP dismissed the NDC’s concerns, stating that their arguments fail to grasp the profound role education plays in societal progress.

“Those who argue that Free SHS sacrifices other areas of development simply do not understand how fundamental education is to solving the challenges we face as a nation,” Ursula said firmly. She explained that education serves as the foundation for national growth and cannot be sidelined in favor of other sectors.

Reflecting on her personal journey, Ursula shared how education shaped her life. “My mother sold charcoal and took on any opportunity she could find to keep us going. It was not easy, but she understood that the key to a better life for her children was education,” she recalled.

Ursula’s rise to become a lawyer, women’s rights advocate, and politician would not have been possible without the opportunities education provided her. “Without education, I wouldn’t be a lawyer today. I wouldn’t be in politics. My mother’s hard work would have been in vain,” she noted, underscoring the significance of the Free SHS program.

She further emphasized that the initiative was not just a policy change but a long-term commitment to Ghana’s future, one that would cultivate the minds of future leaders, problem-solvers, and innovators. “Education shapes leaders, problem-solvers, and innovators. This program is designed to cultivate the minds that will tackle Ghana’s challenges in years to come,” Ursula explained.