The Government of Ghana has declared that special needs education will be entirely free of charge, effective this year, 2026.
The announcement was made by the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, during the commissioning of the Gloria Boatema Dadey–Nifa Basic School in Adukrom.
The project, spearheaded by the KGL Foundation, served as the backdrop for what the minister described as a flagship initiative designed to lift the financial burden from thousands of vulnerable families across the country.
The financial backbone of this initiative will be the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund).
Mr Iddrisu revealed that the government has structured a specific fiscal strategy to ensure the programme’s sustainability, moving beyond mere tuition waivers to include comprehensive support systems.
Specifically, the minister disclosed that GHS 100 million from the 2026 GETFund allocation formula has been ring-fenced exclusively for this purpose. This capital injection is earmarked not only for administrative costs but also for the high-tech infrastructure required for inclusive learning.
“…I’m happy to announce, proudly and authoritatively, that beginning this year, 2026, learning for special needs education in Ghana under President Mahama will be free and funded adequately by the Ghana Education Trust Fund… I’m also happy to announce that an amount of GHS 100 million of GetFund resources will be dedicated in their 2026 formula to support special needs education, which will include the acquisition of some of the devices, assistive devices that they may need.”
The Minister’s remarks underscored a broader cabinet-level philosophy: that the future of the Ghanaian economy is inextricably linked to the quality of early childhood development. He argued that the state must pivot its resources toward the earliest stages of the academic journey to ensure long-term success.
“It is said that when a child gets it right at age six, you can predict the 18 years of that child. It’s therefore important that Ghana repositions, reprioritises and redirects its investment to improve and enhance basic education. President Mahama will do everything possible to increase investment in foundational learning to improve learning outcomes at the basic level. We are sure.”
The initiative is part of a wider mandate by President John Dramani Mahama to overhaul basic education.
According to the minister, the administration is determined to “reposition, reprioritise, and redirect” capital toward foundational learning.
By ensuring that special needs students have access to specialised learning and assistive devices without the barrier of cost, the government aims to close the equity gap in the national school system.
The event in the Okere District was attended by traditional leaders, education advocates, and representatives from the KGL Foundation, all of whom hailed the move as a major victory for social justice and inclusive development in the Eastern Region and beyond.
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