Ghana’s government has committed more money to technical and vocational education on paper than at any point in the country’s history. The harder question now being asked is how much of it is actually reaching the schools.
Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu announced in September 2025 that the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) would release GH₵1 billion in 2026 specifically to address critical infrastructure deficits across schools nationwide, with TVET institutions among the primary targets. The commitment was followed by the 2026 national budget, which earmarked a combined GH₵4.2 billion through GETFund to finance Free Senior High School and Free TVET programmes, representing the largest single allocation to these programmes in Ghana’s history.
On the ground, construction activity is visible in some areas. The Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET) broke ground on a new Centre of Excellence in Salaga in November 2025, developed in partnership with De Lorenzo, an Italian technical firm, on a turnkey basis that includes technology transfer and a training-of-trainers programme for Ghanaian instructors. Separately, the TVET Centre of Excellence at Anyinam in the Eastern Region reached 99 percent completion and was reported ready for handover to the government.
President John Mahama, in his 2026 State of the Nation Address to Parliament in February, reaffirmed plans to construct six new regional TVET Centres of Excellence nationwide, describing the sector as a critical pillar in tackling youth unemployment.
But education advocacy groups are pressing for accountability that goes beyond announcements. Africa Education Watch (Eduwatch) called on the government to provide a comprehensive update on the progress of infrastructure projects funded in the 2025 budget, including the construction of 261 schools and the procurement of school furniture, and sought clarity on whether GETFund and District Assemblies Common Fund allocations were distinct or overlapping.
The concern is not without precedent. Eduwatch noted that only 65 percent of budgeted funds for special education were released in the prior year, leading to significant shortfalls that left special schools without the resources needed to operate effectively. A pattern of strong budget commitments followed by incomplete disbursements has been a recurring feature of Ghana’s education infrastructure history.
The overall 2026 education budget of GH₵43.2 billion represents a 2.6 percent increase over 2025, the smallest year-on-year growth since 2021, and accounts for just 2.7 percent of gross domestic product, falling below UNESCO’s recommended threshold of 4 to 6 percent of GDP.
The structural gaps the funding is meant to address remain severe. Survey data from TVET institutions across the country show widespread shortages of workshops, dormitories, administration blocks and basic equipment, with students in some motor vehicle mechanics programmes still unable to access a working engine block for practical training. More than 90 percent of TVET institutions provide no insurance protection for teachers and facilitators, and 70 percent offer none for students, exposing both groups to unmitigated risk in high-hazard training environments.
The six regional Centres of Excellence, if completed and equipped to international standards, would represent a material step forward. Whether the financing reaches the institutions before the next policy cycle resets the conversation remains the measure by which this government’s TVET commitment will ultimately be judged.
