Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, on Thursday used his appearance before Parliament to outline government’s plans to tackle Ghana’s growing education infrastructure deficit, defend ongoing reforms and announce fresh investments in schools, teachers and learning facilities across the country.
Answering questions from Members of Parliament, the Minister addressed concerns ranging from inadequate school furniture and abandoned E-block projects to teacher shortages and overcrowding in secondary schools.
One of the major issues raised on the floor was the worsening furniture shortage in schools across the country.
Mr. Iddrisu acknowledged the problem, recounting a recent visit to the Sefwi area where he witnessed pupils struggling with inadequate and poor-quality desks.
“It was sad to see a number of basic school learners struggling with furniture — not just its inadequacy, but the quality of the furniture that is being used,” he told Parliament.
According to the Minister, GETFund has allocated GH¢230 million for the procurement of furniture for basic and senior high schools, with 226,635 mono desks already distributed to 547 schools in 2025.
He further disclosed that government was reviewing the current procurement system to allow regional education directorates to procure furniture based on local needs instead of relying solely on centralized arrangements.
“If we were to adequately provide for furniture, we can take 100 schools out of the double-track system,” he added.
The Minister also responded to a question by Wa West MP Peter Lanchene Toobu regarding the abandoned Duruma E-Block project which has stalled since 2017.
Mr. Iddrisu criticised the long-standing trend of abandoned public projects, describing it as a major setback to educational development.
“Projects get commenced and after a decade remain uncompleted,” he lamented.
He revealed that government plans to complete 27 E-block projects nationwide with an allocation of approximately GH¢996 million.
According to him, authorities are currently reviewing contract values because many of the projects were awarded years ago and can no longer be executed under the original financial terms.
The Minister expressed hope that the Duruma E-block project would be completed before the end of the year.
On access to secondary education, Mr. Iddrisu said Ghana has recorded significant gains in enrollment under the Free SHS policy but admitted that infrastructure expansion has lagged behind increasing student numbers.
“What is lacking is the infrastructure of dormitories, laboratories and others,” he said.
He announced that government is expecting World Bank approval in June for the implementation of the STAR-J programme, a major initiative aimed at upgrading schools and expanding infrastructure nationwide.
The project is expected to inject about US$300 million into the education sector.
Under the programme, 20 Category C schools are expected to be upgraded while additional investments will be made in existing Category A schools.
Mr. Iddrisu said deprived communities would be prioritised, especially districts without senior high schools and regions lacking top-tier second-cycle institutions.
He further announced plans for new TVET institutions and secondary schools in areas including Kulmasa, Tumu and parts of the Sefwi enclave.
Teacher shortages also featured prominently during the Minister’s engagement with Parliament.
Responding to concerns raised by the MP for Prestea Huni-Valley over the growing number of community teachers in schools within the constituency, the Minister disclosed that government is currently recruiting 7,000 teachers and nearly 3,000 lecturers nationwide.
However, he admitted that Ghana requires at least 50,000 teachers to fully address staffing gaps across the country.
“We need a minimum of 50,000 teachers across the country, but that is subject to budget,” he stated.
Mr. Iddrisu assured Parliament that newly recruited teachers would begin work from July 1 while discussions continue with the Ministry of Finance for additional recruitment clearance.
He also reiterated the importance of promoting Ghanaian languages in schools, arguing that children perform better academically when taught in their first language alongside English.
“We believe that when children learn Ghanaian language as first language of instruction, in addition to English, learning outcomes improve,” the Minister said.
The Education Minister’s appearance formed part of Parliament’s ministerial question time, where MPs sought updates on pressing educational challenges affecting constituencies across the country.
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