The government has announced the removal of the cap on the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) to ensure sustainable funding for Free Senior High School (SHS) education and other key educational initiatives.
Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson made this announcement on Tuesday, March 11, while presenting the 2025 Budget Statement and economic policy to Parliament.
This move seeks to address concerns about the financial sustainability and quality of the Free SHS programme, which has faced funding challenges since its inception.
“Mr. Speaker, the overarching concern about free secondary education has been its quality and the absence of a dedicated source of funding. H.E President John Mahama has resolved the funding challenge by uncapping the GETFund.
This makes available dedicated funds for the full financing of free secondary education and free tertiary education for Persons with Disability (PWDs),” Dr. Forson stated.
He revealed that the budget allocation for the Free SHS programme in 2025 is GH¢3.5 billion, and by uncapping the GETFund, an additional GH¢4.1 billion will be made available to support secondary education and related expenditures.
In addition to uncapping GETFund, Dr. Forson announced that the government has absorbed the debt service on the Daakye bond, which was contracted under GETFund.
The Finance Minister assured Parliament that this policy shift would not only enhance the quality of education but also expand access to tertiary education for marginalized groups, particularly Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).
He reiterated that the government’s commitment to education reform is part of a broader strategy to promote inclusive and equitable learning opportunities for all Ghanaians.
