The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has declared that special needs education will be completely free of charge starting this year, 2026.
This announcement was made during the official opening of the Gloria Boatema Dadey–Nifa Basic School in Adukrom.
The Minister explained that the project, led by the KGL Foundation, is a flagship programme designed to alleviate the financial burden on numerous vulnerable families nationwide. He further stated that the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) will provide the financial foundation for this initiative.
According to Mr Iddrisu, the government has developed a specific fiscal strategy to ensure the programme’s long-term sustainability, extending beyond tuition waivers to encompass comprehensive support systems.
Notably, GHS 100 million from the 2026 GETFund allocation has been specifically allocated for this purpose, covering not only administrative costs but also the advanced infrastructure necessary for inclusive learning.
“…I’m happy to announce, proudly and authoritatively, that beginning this year, 2026, learning for special needs education in Ghana under President Mahama will be free and funded adequately by the Ghana Education Trust Fund… I’m also happy to announce that an amount of GHS 100 million of GetFund resources will be dedicated in their 2026 formula to support special needs education, which will include the acquisition of some of the devices, assistive devices that they may need.”
The minister noted that the state must pivot its resources toward the earliest stages of the academic journey to ensure long-term success.
“It is said that when a child gets it right at age six, you can predict the 18 years of that child. It’s therefore important that Ghana repositions, reprioritises and redirects its investment to improve and enhance basic education. President Mahama will do everything possible to increase investment in foundational learning to improve learning outcomes at the basic level. We are sure.”
He assured that the Mahama administration remains committed to “repositioning, reprioritising, and redirecting” capital toward foundational learning.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
