The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has dismissed claims that 5.1 million students have benefited from the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy, warning that inflated figures could lead to financial mismanagement and resource wastage.
He clarified that the actual number of beneficiaries stands at 3.9 million, stressing that using exaggerated data for planning and expenditure has significant implications for government spending.
Mr. Iddrisu made these remarks during his first official meeting with the ministry’s development partners on Wednesday. The meeting, attended by around 17 development partners, focused on strengthening collaboration to enhance Ghana’s education sector.
Inflated Figures
“Someone may have been using the inflated 5.1 million figure for other purposes because, based on my assessment of the statistics, this number is inaccurate. The actual number of Ghanaian students benefiting from the policy stands at 3.9 million,” Mr. Iddrisu said.
He added, “If someone planned and allocated resources, especially for food, based on the 5.1 million figure, imagine the harm it has caused to the state and the Republic.”
Mr. Iddrisu further called for a review of the policy’s sustainability, expressing concerns over its impact on the fair allocation of resources to other critical areas, particularly Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE). He revealed that over GH¢7 billion had been spent on the initiative since its inception in 2017.
While acknowledging the significant increase in access to secondary education, he noted that the policy had also placed a financial strain on the overall education budget. “The constitution imposes a burden on us to provide progressive free secondary education; however, the current expenditure on Free SHS has limited the fair allocation of resources to other areas,” he said.
Infrastructure Challenges
Mr. Iddrisu warned of a looming infrastructure crisis due to the rapid expansion of SHS enrolment without corresponding investments to accommodate graduates at the tertiary level. “If we do not prepare adequately, we may face a major infrastructure crisis in the coming years. We need significant investment in infrastructure to accommodate the increasing number of students,” he said.
To address these challenges, he proposed a strategic reallocation of resources from the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund). He suggested a 40-20-20-20 formula, where 40% of GETFund resources would be allocated to its core mandate, 20% to FCUBE, 20% to administrative expenditures, and 20% to complementary education initiatives. “This formula ensures that every component of the education sector benefits from GETFund interventions,” he explained.
Uncapping GETFund
Mr. Iddrisu also advocated for uncapping the GETFund, arguing that this could free up between GH¢3.2 billion and GH¢4 billion, potentially increasing the fund’s total resources to GH¢7.9 billion. “Uncapping GETFund will provide the necessary resources to address the infrastructure deficit and other pressing needs in the education sector,” he stated.
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