GETFund to allocate GH¢250m to expand Category A SHS infrastructure

The Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, says he has asked the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFUND) to allocate GH¢250 million this year to expand infrastructure in Category A senior high schools. According to him, the additional investment will help ease pressure on some of the country’s most sought-after schools, which have experienced a sharp rise in student numbers under the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) programme. Speaking on JoyNews ‘ Newsfile on Saturday, September 12, during a discussion on the SHS placement crisis, Mr Iddrisu said he had already discussed the matter with the GETFUND administrator. “I’m also happy to note that I requested, and I had a discussion with the administrator of GETFUND, that he should make an allocation of 250 million this year,” he said.

The minister said the funds would be used to expand facilities in Category A schools, while other infrastructure needs would be addressed through the government’s planned World Bank-funded programme. “Then we can expand the facilities in the Category A schools, while the World Bank focuses on other areas,” Mr Iddrisu said. Mr Iddrisu said the planned expansion would cover some of the country’s leading senior high schools, including Achimota School, Wesley Girls’ High School, Wesley College, Presbyterian Boys’ Secondary School (PRESEC) and Prempeh College. He said the government intends to provide additional classrooms and accommodation facilities to help the schools cope with increasing enrolment. “We can start classrooms, two dormitories, male and female, at Achimota, Wesley Girls, Holy Child, Presec, and Prempeh,” he said. The minister’s comments come amid growing concerns over the ability of some Category A schools to accommodate the number of students seeking admission. The pressure has…