By: Benjamin Nii Nai Anyetei
Government has announced a record GH₵9.1 billion allocation to basic education in the 2025 budget — the largest single investment in the sector in over five decades. The move, spearheaded by President John Mahama and Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu, is being hailed as a bold step toward restoring quality learning at the foundational level.
The historic allocation comes alongside major investments across the education sector, including GH₵564 million for textbooks and GH₵3.5 billion for Free SHS, marking a clear shift in government’s commitment to building a stronger educational foundation.
According to the Ghana Education Service (GES), the new budgetary measures signal a turning point. “Foundational learning remains the most crucial stage in every child’s education. It is fulfilling to see genuine government interest again. GES, as an implementing agency, commits to ensuring every Ghanaian child receives the best early years’ education,”Head of Public Relations at GES, Daniel Fenyi, said in a statement.
The 2025 Education Budget also makes historic allocations across other key areas:
Budget Breakdown
Basic Education – GH₵9.1 billion (largest in five decades)
Textbooks under the new curriculum – GH₵564 million (including GH₵415 million from GETFund, the single largest textbook investment ever)
Free Senior High School (SHS) – GH₵3.5 billion (highest allocation since inception of the policy, with funds for feeding, infrastructure, and phasing out the double-track system)
Sanitary Pads Distribution Programme – Dedicated funding for nationwide free sanitary pad supply to schoolgirls, aimed at reducing absenteeism and dropout rates.
Feeding in Schools – Increased allocations to improve SHS feeding quality following reports of challenges in previous years.
Read full statement here
