The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has revealed that the World Bank is supporting Ghana’s education sector with $300 million to upgrade several secondary schools nationwide.

According to the minister, the funding will be used to elevate Category ‘C’ schools to Category ‘B’ status, while some Category ‘B’ schools will also be upgraded to Category ‘A’, as part of ongoing reforms aimed at improving access and quality in the education system.

Speaking on TV3 NewDay on Thursday, March 5, 2026, Iddrisu said the initiative is part of broader efforts to strengthen senior high school infrastructure.

“The World Bank supports the Education Ministry with $300 million to convert a number of Category ‘C’ schools to ‘B’ and ‘B’ schools to ‘A’,” he stated.

Beyond infrastructure, the minister emphasised that the government is shifting more focus and resources toward strengthening basic education, which he described as the foundation of a strong education system.

“Everywhere in the world, if you want to get your education right, you must invest in basic education. The President highlighted this in the State of the Nation Address. Government policy now realigns investment and financial allocations more in favour of basic education,” he said.

Iddrisu also criticised the previous administration under former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for failing to match the Free Senior High School policy with adequate infrastructure. The policy, introduced in 2017, led to a significant increase in senior high school enrolment.

“Free Senior High School was launched, but the previous government failed to expand infrastructure and lecture theatres to accommodate the exponential growth in student numbers,” he said.

Looking ahead, the minister outlined plans to make education more inclusive, particularly for persons with special needs.

“We want to introduce free education for all persons with special needs, provide them with necessary assistive devices, and increase the feeding grant from GHS 8 to GHS 15,” he said.

Iddrisu also indicated that the government is considering reforms to gradually reduce reliance on boarding facilities in certain schools, especially in urban areas, while expanding day-school options closer to communities.

“We must work towards de-boardinisation, focusing on rural and peri-urban areas, while in urban areas we aim to reduce the reliance on boarding facilities,” he added.