President John Dramani Mahama has announced a comprehensive package of educational reforms designed to enhance access, equity, and quality across Ghana’s learning system, from primary through tertiary education.
Speaking during a media engagement yesterday, the President confirmed the rollout of the free tertiary education policy for persons with disabilities, describing it as a milestone in Ghana’s journey toward inclusive education.
“The implementation of the free tertiary education policy for persons with disability has commenced, removing a key barrier to higher learning and affirming our belief that education must be a right and not a privilege for every Ghanaian regardless of their physical ability,” President Mahama stated.
The President also underscored government’s commitment to advancing Ghana’s transition into a knowledge-based economy with the launch of the Ghana National Research Fund. He disclosed that the fund has been seeded with GH₵50 million to support research across science, technology, the humanities, and the arts.
“For far too long, much of the research conducted by our brilliant academics has been funded by foreign institutions, with the unfortunate outcome that the intellectual property and findings are often owned abroad. With this fund, we’ll slowly but certainly reverse that narrative,” he emphasized.
As part of measures to strengthen Ghana’s research capacity, President Mahama revealed that five PhD scholarships will be awarded annually in every university across the country.
“As part of our commitment to research excellence, we offer full scholarships annually to five PhD candidates at every university in Ghana. By investing in our thinkers, we’re investing in our future and asserting our intellectual sovereignty,” he noted.
On gender equity and student welfare, the President highlighted that over six million sanitary pads have already been distributed to schoolgirls at the basic and secondary levels to fight period poverty and improve retention.
He further addressed concerns about the Free Senior High School (SHS) programme, dismissing speculation that it may be scrapped.
“Contrary to the widespread misinformation that was circulated before December 7, 2024, the Free SHS policy has not only been maintained; indeed, it has been strengthened. We’ve made the highest budgetary allocation in the history of the policy. As of now, a staggering GH₵3.5 billion has been dedicated to Free SHS,” President Mahama affirmed.
With these reforms, the President stressed that government’s priority is to build an inclusive, innovative, and equitable education system that secures Ghana’s long-term development.
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Source: Frederick Kofi Thompson-Quartey/ATLFMNEWS
