Gov’t to release GH₵1bn for school infrastructure in 2026
The Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has announced that government will release GHS1 billion from the GETFund in 2026 to address critical infrastructure challenges in schools across the country.
He explained that the investment is intended to close long-standing infrastructure gaps and gradually phase out the double-track system in senior high schools.
“This funding will help us deal decisively with infrastructure deficits and ultimately tackle the double-track system,” Mr Iddrisu said during a working visit to the Upper East Region.
As part of the visit, he toured the Zebilla Senior High Technical School, where he interacted with WASSCE candidates and assessed the impact of the Bawku conflict on academic activities.
The Minister urged the students to remain focused on their studies despite the difficult circumstances.
“We need to say no to war, no to conflict. Education remains our surest bet to fight ignorance and poverty, so grab the opportunity and give it your best,” he encouraged.
Mr Iddrisu declined to wear a bulletproof vest offered to him, saying, “I refused to put it on because a bulletproof jacket does not belong in an academic environment. It does not create the conducive atmosphere needed for learning to thrive.”
He stressed that peace is essential for teaching and learning.
“Lasting peace must be restored in Bawku so that the city can be rebuilt and a serene environment for education restored,” he stated.
The Minister further highlighted the unique challenges faced by students in conflict areas, lamenting that their disadvantaged conditions are not taken into account during examinations.
“It is unfortunate that examiners will not consider the fact that students here did not have the serenity and peace of mind to learn, yet they will be graded equally with their counterparts in peaceful areas,” he observed.
