Education Minister-Designate Haruna Iddrisu Pledges To Uncap GETFund

Ghana’s Education Minister-designate, Haruna Iddrisu has announced his intention to uncap the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) to enhance infrastructural development in the education sector.

Speaking before the Appointments Committee on January 20, 2025, Iddrisu emphasized the urgency of this decision, stating that it would be undertaken in collaboration with the Finance Minister.

“The GETFund has suffered in recent years due to the decision of the then Finance Minister to cap it. President Mahama has publicly supported uncapping the fund, and I join him in that commitment,” he remarked.

Iddrisu promised immediate action to ensure additional resources are freed for education, saying, “I will engage the Minister for Finance to uncap GETFund as a matter of expediency.”

The decision to cap GETFund was implemented under former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta as part of the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) recommendations during a loan deal.

While it was aimed at fiscal consolidation, critics, including Iddrisu, argue that the measure has restricted the fund’s ability to address critical infrastructure needs in education.

Iddrisu further stated that the plan to uncap GETFund would align with broader negotiations to review IMF agreements, which President Mahama has pledged to revisit.

“This will be part of the President’s engagement with the IMF to review existing agreements, including the memorandum that impacted GETFund,” he ad