Parliament has reaffirmed its commitment to education by approving the uncapping of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), making the full allocation available for educational development. Speaking during the 9th Parliament’s 43rd sitting on March 29, Samuel Okudjeto Ablakwa commended the Mahama administration for taking this bold step.
He said this matter of uncapping GETFund’s has been talked about for years, with the majority and minority members sponsoring an amendment to this capping legislation. He expressed disappointment that the previous government failed to uncap the fund. “Even when there was bipartisan support for the uncapping of GET funds…the previous government failed to listen.”
Funding Free SHS and Ending Double Track
According to Ablakwa, the uncapped GETFund ensures that approximately GHS 4 billion is now available for education. He emphasized that a significant portion of these funds has been dedicated to fully financing the Free Senior High School (SHS) program.
“So we no longer have to be grappling with a lack of dedicated funding. Now we know that we can have 3.5 billion Ghana cedis from the GETFund in a dedicated manner to support the free SHS program,” he remarked.
Additionally, the approved GETFund formula has earmarked substantial resources to end the controversial double-track system. Ablakwa pointed out that students and parents had long expressed concerns about the unpredictability caused by the system.
With students sometimes going to school and spending just a few weeks, they then have to go back home. He said this affected the quality of second-cycle education in our country.
Addressing Infrastructure and Textbook Deficits
The newly approved funding formula also prioritizes key infrastructure projects within the education sector. Ablakwa highlighted the government’s decision to complete the abandoned e-blocks and rehabilitate dilapidated school structures.
“I see that an allocation has been made to complete the e-blocks, which were abandoned by the previous government. That is very heartwarming,” he stated.
Ablakwa further pointed out the government’s allocation of over GHS 1 billion to clear outstanding payments related to the laptop project for teachers. Additionally, GHS 450 million has been set aside to address the lack of textbooks, a major concern for parents and students over the past six years.
“For almost six years, parents were complaining: no textbooks, no textbooks, no textbooks. I see in this formula an allocation of 450 million Ghana cedis. That’s a colossal sum to deal with the no-textbook syndrome and to address it once and for all,” he remarked.
Ablakwa commended the Mahama administration for demonstrating visionary leadership and prudent financial management in ensuring access to quality education.
“This is what we call prudent financial management, visionary leadership, and leadership that fulfills its promise, that listens to the people, that listens to parliamentarians, and that addresses the concerns of parents and students,” he concluded.
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