By: Ashiadey Dotse
The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has announced that the government has allocated GH¢4.2 billion in the 2026 budget to sustain and improve the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) and Free TVET programmes. He said this significant increase in funding demonstrates President John Dramani Mahama’s commitment to ensuring that every Ghanaian child has access to quality secondary education.
Speaking at a media briefing on the education sector allocation on Wednesday November 19, 2025, Mr. Iddrisu explained that the new allocation represents a major rise from the GH¢3.5 billion provided in 2025. According to him, the additional investment will help address long-standing challenges such as inadequate classrooms, dormitories, laboratories, and ICT centres across many schools.
He noted that many SHS institutions have doubled their enrolment under Free SHS but continue to operate with limited infrastructure adding that part of the crisis in Free SHS is the lack of adequate facilities stating that this investment will help us respond to the infrastructure needs of our schools,” he said.
As part of the broader education plan, the Minister highlighted several new infrastructure projects, including:
200 kindergarten blocks
200 primary schools
200 junior high schools
400 teacher bungalows
400 modern sanitary facilities
Mr. Iddrisu said the construction of 200 new JHS blocks is especially important for rural communities where students often walk long distances to school. He added that the government intends to provide 50,000 housing units for teachers under a partnership with GETFund, DACF, SSNIT, and the teachers’ unions.
The Minister also announced major investments in quality improvement, including GH¢1.1 billion under the Ghana Secondary Education Learning Improvement Programme, supported by the World Bank. Funds will also go into completing 30 abandoned E-Block community day SHS projects.
He stressed that improving teacher welfare and motivation remains central to delivering quality education. “The quality of a student is a function of the teacher. We must improve their conditions of service to boost morale,” he said.
Mr. Iddrisu further disclosed plans to expand the Student Loan Trust Fund to include students from institutions that previously did not benefit, such as the Ghana School of Law. In addition, the government is working to establish new technical universities in Jessika and Techiman, and new public universities in Kintampo and parts of the Oti Region.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to investing in human capital development, saying that no child should be left behind because of financial disadvantage.
“Our pledge is clear: every child, regardless of background, should have access to quality secondary education,” he said.
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