In the 2025 budget presentation on March 11, Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson announced the government’s decision to uncap the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) as part of a broader restructuring of expenditures, particularly under oil revenue. This move aims to redirect additional resources toward educational initiatives, including the Free Senior High School (SHS) program.
However, former Deputy Finance Minister and Member of Parliament for Atiwa East, Abena Osei Asare, has expressed reservations about this decision. She argues that reallocating GETFund resources to finance recurrent expenditures, such as provisions under the Free SHS program, could be deemed unconstitutional.
Osei Asare emphasizes that GETFund was primarily established to support educational infrastructure development rather than covering consumable expenses like food and other goods associated with Free SHS. She contends that the government’s justification for uncapping GETFund lacks clarity and coherence, potentially misaligning with the fund’s original mandate.
This debate highlights a critical discourse on the appropriate utilization of earmarked educational funds. While the government’s intention is to bolster educational programs, concerns about constitutional adherence and the strategic allocation of resources underscore the need for a transparent and well-justified approach to funding education in Ghana.
