We’ll need $1.5b to run the education sector effectively – Haruna Iddrisu

• Posted on February 13, 2025February 13, 2025
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has said that government will need 1.5 billion dollars to effectively run the education sector for the next few years.

Haruna Iddrisu said the amount, when secured, will be used to bridge infrastructure gap and address other challenges in the education sector.

He was speaking when he toured four agencies under the Ministry of Education in Accra on February 12.

Mr Iddrisu recalled the challenges posed by the roll out of the free SHS programme which has resulted in overpopulation in the public universities.

“My strategy is to ensure that we decouple GETFund and increase its investment in education as a percentage of GDP. There should be increasing allocation to the education portfolio. I trust that between now and the next few years we will have to invest a minimum of one point five billion dollars into the education sector,” he noted.

Already, the previous government has built some Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) schools across the country.

Mr Iddrisu indicated his readiness to ensure that the STEM schools are strengthened, and more infrastructure are provided.

“The Accra STEM Academy model as you can see, is not just an edifice. It assures these young children that as they have started, they will graduate from here having completed Senior High School” he explained.

The Education Minister pointed out that government will scale up the STEM schools.

“Our intention is that we scale it up to the regional capitals beginning with Upper East, Upper West, Oti, Western North and the other regions will follow,” he said.