Parliament has approved the Ghana Education Trust Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2025, a move that effectively removes the cap on GETFund and expands its mandate.

The amended law allows the Fund to support free secondary education, provide free education for persons with special needs, offer free tertiary education for persons with disabilities, and make the GETFund levy deductible as input tax.

The initiative is expected to ease financial pressures on households while strengthening the government’s commitment to inclusive and equitable access to education.

Before the bill’s passage on Thursday, December 11, Minister of Education Haruna Iddrisu emphasized that the amendment would secure long-term financing for the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) programme.

“It will guarantee the continuation of the free senior high school policy introduced by former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in 2018, which previously lacked a dedicated funding source,” he noted.

He added that Finance Minister Ato Forson’s decision to uncap GETFund would unlock additional resources for the education sector.

Meanwhile, the Minister said the amendment also ensures that persons with disabilities who gain admission into tertiary institutions will receive government support.

“This House must note that once this law takes effect, we are assuring persons with disabilities of free tertiary education. Any qualified student with a disability will receive assistance from the Government of Ghana, under President John Dramani Mahama, to complete their studies at the higher level,” he said.

Sompaonline.com/Derrick Djan