Category A schools to receive GHS250 million infrastructure boost under 2027 GETFund formula — Education Minister 

The Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has directed the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) to allocate a minimum of GHS250 million in its 2027 funding formula to expand infrastructure in selected Category A senior high schools across the country.

The funding, he said, will support the construction of new classroom blocks, dormitories and laboratories to help the schools admit more students and ease pressure on existing facilities.

The Minister, who also serves as the MP for Tamale South, announced the directive on Thursday, August 6, during the sod-cutting ceremony for a 250-bed boys' boarding house at Achimota School.

The facility is being donated by Managing Director of Saka Homes and old student of Achimota SHS, Ebenezer Saka Addo-Mensah, under GETFund's Education Financing and Partnership Initiative.

"I'm directing the Administrator of the GETFund and his Board to make a minimum allocation of GHS250 million in the 2027 formula of the GETFund to particularly expand infrastructure... It is going to be a targeted intervention, a new classroom block, a new dormitory and a laboratory," he said.

The minister said Achimota School, Presbyterian Boys' Secondary School (PRESEC), Mfantsipim School, Adisadel College, Opoku Ware School, Wesley Girls' High School, St. Augustine's College, Aburi Girls' Senior High School and Holy Child School are among the institutions expected to benefit from the intervention.

According to him, the initiative forms part of government's broader plan to address infrastructure deficits in secondary education while expanding access to quality education.

The Minister explained that many Category A schools have seen significant increases in student enrolment over the years without corresponding expansion in infrastructure, creating pressure on available facilities.

"Under President Mahama's reset, we will be deliberate, and GETFund will make a minimum allocation of GHS250 million so that we expand infrastructure in all Category A schools, so that next year... Achimota can double its intake," he stressed.

The minister also disclosed that government is awaiting the commencement of procurement processes for a 300 million US dollar programme to expand secondary education infrastructure nationwide.

He said the programme will finance the construction of 32 new senior high and technical vocational schools, as well as four model district secondary schools in deprived districts that currently lack such facilities.

Haruna Iddrisu added that government intends to upgrade 30 Category C schools to Category B status and 20 Category B schools to Category A as part of efforts to improve access and quality across the country's secondary education system.