The goal and commitment of President John Mahama and the Minister for Education, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, to restore the long-desired quality of education, especially at the basic and foundational levels, have been received with deep appreciation by the leadership of the Ghana Education Service.
In the President’s media encounter last Wednesday, September 10, education once again gained its deserved importance in the conversation. The encounter threw light on some significant developments in the education sector and reaffirmed the central role of education in national development.
๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐๐, ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ต๐ถ๐๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ ๐ฏ๐๐ฑ๐ด๐ฒ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ผ ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ฐ ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป. Basic education received ๐๐๐ ๐ต.๐ญ ๐ฏ๐ถ๐น๐น๐ถ๐ผ๐ป in the 2025 budget โ the highest allocation in the past 50 years. Foundational learning remains the most crucial stage in every childโs education. However, in recent times, this level was almost neglected. It is fulfilling for us at GES to see genuine government interest in foundational learning again. GES, as an implementing agency, commit to ensuring every Ghanaian child receives the best early yearsโ education.
๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ฑ, ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ต๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฏ๐๐ฑ๐ด๐ฒ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ฏ๐ผ๐ผ๐ธ๐. It is heart-warming to note the historic allocation of ๐๐๐ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฐ ๐บ๐ถ๐น๐น๐ถ๐ผ๐ป โ including ๐๐๐ ๐ฐ๐ญ๐ฑ ๐บ๐ถ๐น๐น๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ป๐ฑ โ for the procurement of textbooks under the new curriculum. This represents the largest single investment in textbooks so far, aimed at strengthening teaching and learning materials across schools. This will go a long way to support learners with resources to complement classroom activities.
๐ง๐ต๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฑ, ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฏ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป. Attracting and retaining our young girls in school is not a luxury, not a privilege, but a necessity. Our girls deserve equal opportunities and access to education like everyone else. In this 21st century, the nation cannot afford to keep girls out of school due to menstrual-related issues. This is why the free distribution of sanitary towels to school-going girls is paramount. The distribution has already begun in districts such as Ada West, Gushegu, Ga East, Ejura, Ga West, Ledzokuku, etc. Others will follow as the nationwide rollout continues. This intervention supports girlsโ education and reduces absenteeism.
๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐๐ต, ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ต๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ผ ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ป๐ถ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ถ๐ด๐ต ๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ต๐ผ๐ผ๐น (๐ฆ๐๐ฆ). The goal to not only maintain but also improve the Free SHS policy is on course. The programme has been allocated ๐๐๐ ๐ฏ.๐ฑ ๐ฏ๐ถ๐น๐น๐ถ๐ผ๐ป under GETFund in 2025 โ the highest ever since the programme started. This has enhanced feeding and related services for students. There’s also the established commitment to abolish the double-track system that has challenged the programme.
๐๐ถ๐ณ๐๐ต, ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ฐ๐ต๐ผ๐ผ๐น. Adjustments in the management of SHS feeding have led to noticeable improvements. Reports from students, teachers, parents, and other stakeholders point to a better feeding system. We continue to solicit feedback from stakeholders as we strive to improve both feeding and teaching in our second-cycle schools.
Though the 2025 Education Budget was appropriated barely five months ago, there is already encouraging evidence of some appreciable progress in the sector. These developments reflect the continued prioritisation of education as a driver of national growth and social transformation. GES remain committed to making education better.
Source:Mybrytfmonline.com/Daniel Fenyi, Head of Public Relations, GES
