Education advocate and Director of Eduwach Africa, Kofi Asare, has laid out his expectations for the 2025 national budget, urging the government to prioritize key areas in the education sector.
He emphasized the need for a substantial commitment of resources to improve access, infrastructure, and quality of education across all levels.
Asare’s foremost demand is for the government to “commit 20% of the budget to education” to ensure sustainable financing for critical educational programs.
He also called for a policy targeting “free admission fees at the tertiary level” to alleviate financial burdens on students, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
One of the significant proposals Asare highlighted was the need for the government to “announce free tertiary education for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).”
This, he believes, will foster inclusivity and provide equal educational opportunities for individuals facing physical and financial barriers.
“[The 2025 budget must] increase allocation to the Student Loan Scheme. Announce initial allocation for the National Apprenticeship Program. Increase WAEC’s budget to include technology to combat exam fraud.”
Kofi Asare
He stressed that integrating technology into the examination process could significantly strengthen its integrity while reducing instances of malpractice.
By adopting digital solutions, he argued, the education system could ensure greater transparency and fairness in national assessments.
To tackle the persistent shortage of educators, he called for the immediate recruitment of 10,000 teachers specifically for underserved basic schools, where the lack of teaching staff has severely impacted learning outcomes.
Furthermore, he proposed introducing a 20% deprived area allowance for teachers as a financial incentive to encourage more educators to accept postings in remote and underprivileged communities.
This, he believed, would help bridge the educational gap between urban and rural areas while ensuring that all students, regardless of location, have access to quality instruction.
Infrastructure and Digital Connectivity
Acknowledging the pressing challenges in basic education infrastructure, Kofi Asare urged the government to allocate 33% of capital expenditure to the sector to finance essential projects.
He emphasized the need for significant investment to improve school facilities and create a conducive learning environment.
He also advocated for solar energy connectivity in off-grid basic schools, highlighting its potential to enhance learning conditions in rural areas by providing reliable electricity for classrooms and digital learning tools.
Additionally, he underscored the importance of digital transformation in education, calling on the government to prioritize investments in digital infrastructure for basic schools.
According to him, this initiative would modernize teaching and learning while equipping students with essential technological skills for the future.
“[The government must] increase school feeding allocation to GHC 3/day and strengthen management by decentralizing, and regulating quality; Create a separate budget line for the removal of school under trees and commit funds.”
Kofi Asare
Kofi Asare also anticipates that the budget will include a full allocation for the Capitation Grant, covering all outstanding arrears.
This, he believes, is essential to ensuring that schools operate smoothly without financial difficulties.
He further stressed the need for the government to prioritize menstrual hygiene by introducing the distribution of free sanitary pads to support female students.
Additionally, he called for concrete measures to eliminate inefficiencies in the education sector, particularly by addressing the issue of ghost names on the payroll, which drains resources meant for genuine educational needs.
To improve secondary education, Asare expects the government to “announce funding for stalled, ongoing, and abandoned SHS infrastructure expansion projects to end the Double Track system.”
He stressed that resolving infrastructure deficits will ensure all students receive uninterrupted education.
Furthermore, he called for a commitment to “sustaining free SHS feeding ahead of decentralization” and increasing the allocation for public school textbooks.
As part of a broader financial reform, Asare urged the government to “announce the process to uncap GETFund.”
He asserted that this approach would free up resources for critical educational infrastructure and development projects.
Additionally, he urged the government to introduce measures to compensate for the USAID funding shortfall, which has impacted 1,200 schools in northern Ghana.
This, he emphasized, is crucial to ensuring that schools in underserved regions receive the necessary support and are not neglected.
Asare’s proposals highlight critical areas that require immediate government attention in the 2025 budget.
His demands, if met, could significantly improve access, equity, and quality in Ghana’s education sector, ultimately fostering national development.
