Minister for Education Haruna Iddrisu announced a major infrastructure and school conversion plan on Tuesday, aimed at resolving the country’s severe senior high school placement crisis and ensuring greater equity in education access.
Speaking at a press conference in Accra, Iddrisu described the current placement challenge as a “near impossibility,” noting the massive disparity between qualified students and available spaces. The Ministry of Education received 393,000 qualified applications this year for only 76,000 available vacancies, a situation he said would lead to difficulty and struggle for anyone in his position.
To combat this, the Minister announced a strategic, infrastructure-backed plan, approved by the President, to commence by 2026. The goal is to convert at least 10 Category C schools to Category B status, and then convert 10 Category B schools to Category A.
“My thinking, in order that we respect equity, will be that… to convert at least 10 category ‘C’ schools to category B schools, then convert 10 Category B schools to category A schools,” Iddrisu said. This transformation will be accompanied by significant investment in infrastructure, including classroom blocks and student dormitories, as well as improved teaching materials to enhance quality.
The Minister also raised concerns about regional imbalance, noting that the Northeast, Savannah, Oti, and Western North regions currently lack a single Category A school. He stressed the unfairness of expecting students in these areas to compete with peers from elite institutions like Adisadel College and Achimota. Iddrisu pledged “deliberate about infrastructure support” to those underserved regions to address the gap.
In separate news, the Minister provided relief to thousands of striking teachers. He confirmed that Cabinet had approved the absorption and back payment for 6,200 teachers who had worked for months without pay. The process to absorb the staff will begin soon. The approval covers a total budget allocation of approximately GH₵1.1 billion, earmarked by the Ministry of Finance to settle salaries for both teachers and a category of health workers.
“In due course, I assure them, they will get back pay,” Iddrisu said, advising the affected teachers that their concerns have been heard and there is “no more picketing.”
By Kingsley Asiedu