Parliament passes GETFund amendment to support free education

Parliament has passed the Ghana Education Trust Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2025, effectively removing the cap on GETFund to expand funding for key education initiatives.

The amendment provides dedicated financing for free secondary education, free education for persons with special needs, free tertiary education for persons with disabilities, and allows the GETFund levy to be treated as input tax-deductible.

The move is expected to ease the financial burden on families while strengthening the government’s commitment to inclusivity and equal access across all levels of education.

Speaking ahead of the bill’s passage on Thursday, December 11, Education Minister, Haruna Iddrisu, said the amendment ensures sustainable long-term financing for the Free SHS policy.
“It will give assurance to the continuation of the free senior high school policy initiated by former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in 2018, but it probably did not provide for a dedicated funding source for free senior high school," he said.

He added that the decision by Finance Minister Ato Forson to uncap GETFund would channel additional resources into the education sector.
“Mr. Speaker, what this House needs to note is that when this law passes, we are assuring persons with disabilities of free tertiary education. So it means that any person who gains admission and is a person with disability to pursue higher education will receive support from the Government of Ghana, from President John Dramani Mahama. He is assured that he can go through his studies at the higher education level with support from the state," he stated.