The Asantehene lamented not only the policy's financial consequences, but also its potential impact on the country's unemployment rate.
"Considering the value to the nation, this must be one of the nation's boldest initiatives, but it also comes with its obstacles," Otumfuo said.
The Akufo-Addo government has come under fire for its hallmark Free SHS policy, which drains the country's resources and jeopardizes quality, despite the fact that access has vastly improved.
In May, an event at the University of Memphis in Memphis, Tennessee, raised fundamental questions about the strategy, specifically its impact on jobs as more SHS graduates are cranked out of the many second-cycle colleges.
"The current government has implemented free education up to Senior High School, ensuring that all Ghanaian children, regardless of their socioeconomic status, have access to free education."
"It [Free SHS] places a significant pressure on the national budget and increases the issue of finding jobs for the growing number of graduates," he continued.
There have been proposals that the Free SHS program be redesigned to focus on those who are truly in need rather than being designed to assist everyone.
To create a level playing field for students from all areas of life, the idea proposes that some Senior High Schools be allowed to charge fees while others are free.
"I am convinced that we must target people, and the most effective method to do so is through means testing." Instead of making SHSs free, Prof. Ernest Aryeetey, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, suggests that some be made free and others be paid for.
The scholar is concerned about the state of Ghana's Senior High School education, stating that secondary school is becoming "less and less competitive" in Ghana.
He was concerned that this would jeopardize future social cohesiveness and national progress.
