By Kodjo Adams
Accra, Nov. 9, GNA – The Ghana National Education Campaign Coalition (GNECC) has called on the government to increase budgetary allocations to basic education to address persistent challenges, including inadequate infrastructure, teacher shortages and limited access to quality education.
The Coalition said increased investment in basic schools was critical to improving learning outcomes and ensuring equitable access to education across the country.
Mrs Bernice Mpere-Gyekye, the National Coordinator, GNECC, made the call on Monday in an interview with the Ghana News Agency ahead of Thursday’s budget statement to be presented by the Minister of Finance.
She said the Coalition expected the 2027 budget to prioritise the provision of adequate infrastructure, recruitment and deployment of teachers, as well as incentives to encourage teachers to accept postings to underserved communities.
She noted that research conducted by the Coalition had revealed significant teacher shortages in the country, making it necessary for the Government to allocate sufficient resources to ensure that every classroom had a teacher.
Mrs Mpere-Gyekye called for the expansion of teacher accommodation initiatives, particularly in rural and deprived communities, to enable teachers to live closer to their schools and deliver effectively.
On complementary education, she expressed concern over what she described as inadequate funding for the Complementary Education Agency, which was mandated to give learning opportunities to out-of-school children and remedial support for disadvantaged learners.
She said the Agency’s limited resources had constrained its operations, with its programmes being implemented in only 12 districts, despite the growing number of out-of-school children.
She called for increased funding to enable the Agency to expand its programmes nationwide and provide educational opportunities for children who had been left behind by the formal education system.
“We cannot continue to implement complementary education programmes in only a few districts when the number of out-of-school children keeps increasing. The agency needs adequate resources to fulfill its mandate,” she said.
On the proposed abolition of the double-track system in Senior High Schools, Mrs Mpere-Gyekye said ending the system within the proposed timeframe required a clear implementation plan and adequate financial commitment.
She cautioned the government against rushing the process without addressing the infrastructure and other challenges that necessitated the introduction of the system.
“We do not want the government to rush into ending the double-track system without addressing the significant challenges involved. We need a detailed explanation of the measures being put in place to make the transition possible,” she said.
She also called for greater clarity on the funding arrangements for the Free Senior High School policy, particularly the provision of food and other essential services, saying several challenges continued to affect the smooth implementation of the programme.
Assessing the GH¢33.3 billion allocated to education interventions in the 2026 Budget, she said the amount was inadequate, considering the numerous challenges confronting the sector.
The government, she said, needed to assess education financing against the country’s Gross Domestic Product and ensure that allocations reflected the actual resource requirements of the sector.
She suggested that the government reconsidered its approach to financing feeding under the Free SHS policy, saying that the arrangement placed considerable financial pressure on the state.
The National Coordinator, however, acknowledged some progress in government investment in education, particularly the gradual increase in allocations to basic education.
She also commended the government’s allocation of GH¢100 million to support inclusive education, describing it as a positive step towards addressing the educational needs of learners with disabilities and other special needs.
She welcomed interventions aimed at improving girls’ education, including the provision of free sanitary pads, which she said would help address some of the barriers affecting girls’ participation in education.
Mrs Mpere-Gyekye expressed concern about the insufficient attention to technical and vocational education and training (TVET), stressing the need to make the sector more attractive and responsive to the country’s development needs.
She urged the government to sustain the gains made while prioritising critical areas that continued to undermine effective teaching and learning.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe
Reporter: Kodjo Adams
Email: [email protected]