Category A Schools to Receive GH¢250m Infrastructure Boost Under 2027 GETFund Formula

The government has earmarked GH¢250 million for infrastructure development in Category A Senior High Schools under the proposed 2027 Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) formula, the Minister of Education has announced.

The initiative is expected to tackle infrastructure deficits in some of the country’s leading senior high schools, many of which continue to face pressure from increasing enrolment, overcrowding and ageing facilities.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ engagement in Accra, the Education Minister said the allocation forms part of efforts to improve the quality of secondary education and create safer and more conducive environments for teaching and learning.

According to the Minister, the growing demand for admission to Category A schools has placed considerable pressure on classrooms, dormitories, dining facilities, laboratories, sanitation systems and other essential infrastructure.

“This GH¢250 million allocation under the 2027 GETFund formula is a deliberate policy to modernise Category A schools. We want them to remain centres of academic excellence while also being safe, well-equipped and fit for 21st-century learning,” the Minister said.

The proposed funding is expected to support the construction and rehabilitation of classroom blocks and dormitories to reduce congestion, as well as the upgrading of science, ICT and technical laboratories.

Dining halls, washrooms, health facilities, internal roads, drainage systems and water infrastructure are also expected to benefit from the intervention.

The Ministry explained that the decision to prioritise Category A schools during this phase is intended to address their immediate infrastructure pressures, improve conditions for students and establish standards that could be replicated across other categories of senior high schools in subsequent GETFund interventions.

Education stakeholders welcomed the announcement but called for transparency in the selection, procurement and execution of projects to ensure that the funds deliver maximum benefit.

They also stressed the importance of extending similar infrastructure interventions to Category B and Category C schools, many of which face equally serious challenges with classrooms, dormitories, sanitation and teaching facilities.

The Ghana Education Trust Fund was established to provide supplementary funding for educational infrastructure and resources across the country. Under the proposed 2027 formula, greater attention is also expected to be given to maintenance, the completion of stalled and abandoned projects, and the development of climate-resilient educational infrastructure.

The Education Ministry said a monitoring mechanism would be established to track the implementation of projects and ensure accountability and value for money.

For students and parents, the proposed investment could help reduce overcrowding, improve sanitation and residential conditions, and strengthen facilities for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), as well as Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).

“We are investing in the future. When our flagship schools are strong, the entire secondary education system benefits,” the Minister stated.

The first phase of projects under the GH¢250 million allocation is expected to commence in the first quarter of 2027, subject to parliamentary approval of the GETFund formula.

While the investment represents a significant intervention, education stakeholders say its ultimate success will depend on transparent allocation, effective supervision, timely completion of projects and a broader strategy to ensure that infrastructure improvements eventually reach schools across all categories.