Ghana Pledges To Increase Education Sector Budget

Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum

The Minister for Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, has on behalf of President Akufo-Addo, pledged to commit at least 23 per cent of the national budget from 2021-2025 towards education sector development.

This commitment is to help train the assertive and critical mass of Ghanaian youth for the 21st century.

Speaking at the Global Education Summit in the United Kingdom, Dr. Adutwum said Ghana committed a total of 23 per cent of the nation’s budget towards the development of education in 2020, and said it would continue through to 2025.

With this pledge, Ghana has exceeded the global 20 per cent benchmark.

Dr. Adutwum spoke on the “Financing for Transformation” session at the Global Education Summit which had the overall theme: “Financing Global Partnership for Education (GPE) 2021-2025.”

Many heads of state of GPE partner countries were there to discuss the way forward for transforming education outcomes.

A centre-piece of the summit has given the opportunity for leaders to make five-year pledges to support GPE’s work to help transform education systems in up to 90 countries and territories.

The pledge made by Dr. Adutwum on behalf of President Nana Akufo-Addo was in fulfilment of the conference objective of every country pledging at least 20 per cent of its annual budget to support the development of education in their country.

Dr. Adutwum told the conference that Ghana as part of the effort to catch up with the lost time due to the COVID-19 pandemic introduced a couple of initiatives to improve education development in the country.

He mentioned the introduction of the Ghana Learning Television and radio initiatives as interventions that were introduced to help pupils cope with the lockdown in particular.

Again, he mentioned the presentation of reading materials to early graders to study at home during the lockdown season and beyond.

Dr. Adutwum assured the conference of the government’s readiness to put in place measures to improve the development of education in the country for the benefit of the people.

He was upbeat that with the current development and initiatives being put in place, there was hope that Ghana’s education would soon improve massively.