By Sharon Zoe Williams
The Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, on Wednesday November 19, emphasized the government’s commitment to social intervention policies in education, highlighting three key initiatives introduced by the NDC and President John Mahama.
These initiatives include the Mahama Cares, No Fees Stress, and Free Education for Persons with Disabilities programs, which the minister believes will leave a lasting legacy for President Mahama’s presidency.
During a press briefing on the 2026 budget, Haruna Iddrisu revealed that the government has allocated 537.4 million cedis for the No Academic Fee Policy for first-year students, representing 7.6% of the 2025 allocation.
This move is expected to alleviate the financial burden on parents and students, enabling them to pursue their academic dreams without financial constraints.
The minister also announced that the student loan trust has been expanded to include past students, including those from the Ghana School of Law who were previously excluded. This expansion is expected to benefit many students who have been struggling to finance their education.
Furthermore, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu stated that free tertiary vocational education will continue, providing opportunities for students to acquire skills and knowledge in various technical and vocational fields.
The government has also dedicated 4.2 billion cedis to sustain and improve the free SHS and TVET programs, ensuring that every Ghanaian child, regardless of background, has access to secondary education.
Comparing last year’s budget to 2025, the minister noted that the allocation for the free SHS and TVET programs has increased from 3.5 billion cedis to 4.2 billion cedis, representing a significant investment in the country’s education sector.
In his remarks, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu emphasized the government’s commitment to ensuring that no child is left behind due to financial constraints, stating, “For Mahama and the Ministry of Education, no child should be left behind because they’re financially disadvantaged.”
The minister expressed confidence that these social intervention policies would have a lasting impact on Ghana’s education system and contribute to the country’s development.
The government’s efforts to improve education in Ghana have been evident in recent years, with initiatives such as the free SHS policy and the expansion of technical and vocational education.
These efforts are expected to continue, with the government committed to allocating sufficient resources to the education sector.
