Haruna Iddrisu, Minister of Education, has stated that the previous administration’s estimate of 5.1 million students benefited from the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy is incorrect.
The Tamale South Member of Parliament said that the inaccurate figure could result in financial mismanagement and resource waste.
According to the lawyer, the actual number of beneficiaries is 3.9 million, and he emphasises that using the inflated figures for planning and expenditure could have serious consequences for government spending.
The Minister made these remarks during his first official meeting with the ministry’s development partners on Wednesday, January 29, 2025.
“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.”
The meeting, attended by approximately 17 development partners, centred on strengthening collaboration to improve the country’s education sector.
He also expressed concern about what he described as an impending infrastructure crisis caused by 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.
To address these challenges, Mr Iddrisu 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 said.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana