Education Minister-Designate Haruna Iddrisu Announces Plans to Uncap GETFund for Enhanced Infrastructure Development
The newly appointed Education Minister-designate, Haruna Iddrisu, has pledged to uncap the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) as part of a concerted effort to address the pressing infrastructural challenges facing the country’s education sector. His announcement comes at a time when there is widespread concern over the state of educational facilities and the urgent need for improvement.
Speaking before the Appointments Committee on Monday, January 20, 2025, Mr. Iddrisu expressed his intention to collaborate with the Minister for Finance to lift the cap on GETFund, a move he believes will unlock additional resources for educational development. He highlighted that the decision to cap the fund in recent years had severely hindered its effectiveness, particularly in terms of meeting the growing demands for infrastructure in schools across the country.
“In the last few years, the GETFund has suffered because of the decision by the then Finance Minister to cap it. President Mahama has gone public, and I join him to say that we will uncap GETFund to free up additional resources to support robust infrastructural development,” Mr. Iddrisu explained.
GETFund, which was established to provide financial support for the development of educational infrastructure, has struggled to fulfill its mandate in recent years, largely due to the cap imposed during the tenure of former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta. The decision was part of a series of measures recommended by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to secure a loan deal for the country.
However, Mr. Iddrisu, who also serves as the Member of Parliament for Tamale South, emphasized that the capped allocation has impeded progress in addressing critical infrastructure needs in the education sector. He reiterated his commitment to acting swiftly on this issue, with plans to engage the Finance Minister in order to expedite the uncapping process.
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“I will engage the Minister for Finance to uncap GETFund as a matter of expediency,” he assured.
As part of a broader strategy, the Minister-designate indicated that the uncapping of GETFund would be integrated into ongoing discussions with the IMF to review existing agreements. Mr. Iddrisu further emphasized that President Mahama, who has been vocal about the need to reassess the country’s relationship with the IMF, is committed to reviewing the memorandum of understanding (MoU) that had included GETFund in the negotiations.
“…and for the President to engage with the IMF to review the memorandum which included GETFund in the negotiations. President Mahama has said that he will review the IMF, so part of the review will be to uncap the GETFund,” Mr. Iddrisu added.
The move to uncap GETFund comes at a critical time when the education sector continues to face significant challenges, including overcrowded classrooms, inadequate learning materials, and the urgent need for more school infrastructure. By freeing up additional funds, Mr. Iddrisu believes that the government can better support the construction of new school buildings, the renovation of existing facilities, and the provision of essential resources that will benefit both students and teachers.
The proposed changes to GETFund align with the government’s broader goal of improving the quality of education in Ghana and ensuring that the country’s young people are equipped with the necessary resources to succeed.
As the nation looks ahead, all eyes will be on the Ministry of Education to see how these bold proposals unfold and whether they will pave the way for much-needed progress in the education sector.
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