A recent study conducted by Africa Education Watch (EDUWATCH), an education policy research and advocacy organization, has called on the Government to expedite the release of funds for the completion of ongoing projects in the education sector.
The study's findings recommend that the Ministry of Finance should remove the caps on the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) and the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) to provide resources for the completion of stalled GETFund projects in both basic and senior high schools.
Mr. Divine Kpe, Senior Programme Officer at Africa Education Watch, presented the study's findings at a dissemination workshop in Accra.
He emphasized the need for the Ministry of Finance to accelerate the operationalization of exemption laws to ensure the timely execution of critical projects.
Mr. Kpe highlighted various tax reforms, including Act 947 (Earmarked Fund Capping and Realignment 2017), the Exemption Law, the Centralized digital property tax system, the Value Added Tax, and the Electronic transfer levy (E-levy).
However, the study noted that capping earmarked funds that support education infrastructure, especially GETFund Levy/GETFund and DACF, has adversely affected school construction and the provision of furniture.
The study, titled “Tax Reforms, Education Financing, and Equitable Access to Public Education: Roles of Citizens, Local and Central Government,” was conducted by Africa Education Watch with support from ActionAid Ghana.
The study encompassed areas such as AdMA and Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) in the Greater Accra region.
The objectives of the study were to assess the existing tax architecture for education financing, analyze the implications of current tax reforms on education financing and service delivery, evaluate the mechanisms for citizen accountability in education financing, and provide recommendations for increased domestic resource mobilization, improved equitable access, and accountability in education.
Mr. Kpe called on the Ministry of Finance to allocate the constitutionally approved share of the Consolidated Fund to the DACF while ensuring timely disbursement.
He also urged the Ministry of Finance to disburse all Annual Budget Funding Amount (ABFA) arrears to facilitate the financing of relevant socio-economic interventions.
Additionally, he suggested that Parliament strengthen its oversight of the Ministry of Finance regarding the allocation and disbursement of the DACF and the GETFund.
Mr. Kpe proposed that the Ministry of Education allocate at least 20 percent of GETFund to basic school infrastructure in 2024.
Madam Dorothy Konadu, Board Member of EDUWATCH, emphasized the organization's dedication to influencing education policy dialogue on education financing through research.
This study underscores the importance of efficient funding in ensuring the quality and accessibility of education in Ghana.
- Reporting by Iddi Yire: Editing by Adewale Adejoke