Mr. Joseph Kwame Kumah, the Member of Parliament for Kintampo North and Vice Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Education, has stressed the need for a long-term national education plan to support Ghana’s free education policy.
According to Mr. Kumah, a strategic plan spanning at least 75 years is crucial to ensuring that the country’s educational infrastructure can keep pace with population growth and provide sustainable development for future generations.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency during a committee visit to Mawuli School and OLA Senior High School in Ho, Mr. Kumah highlighted the challenges facing Ghana’s education system, many of which have become more apparent during the committee’s recent tour of schools in the Greater Accra, Volta, and Eastern Regions.
The visit, which began at Kimbu Senior High School in Accra, revealed widespread issues such as overcrowded classrooms, insufficient furniture, and inadequate dormitory spaces, all of which strain the delivery of quality education.
Mr. Kumah pointed out that while Ghana’s free education policy is a positive step, it cannot be sustained unless the country invests in the necessary infrastructure to support it. “Without proper infrastructure, no government—whether in the next five or ten years—can effectively deliver free education,” he emphasized.
He added that the absence of adequate teaching and learning resources, such as the government-provided tablets lacking the necessary materials for students, further complicates the situation.
The MP underscored the importance of planning beyond short-term political cycles. “With population growth increasing rapidly and infrastructure struggling to keep up, it’s clear that we need a sustainable, long-term approach to education,” Mr. Kumah said. He warned that if all budget resources are directed solely towards feeding and clothing students, without investing in expanding educational infrastructure, Ghana may face a crisis.
Mr. Kumah called for a national conversation on the future of education in Ghana, asking tough questions about how to balance costs and ensure that infrastructure development is prioritized. “Should we reduce boarding intake and promote more day students to ease financial pressure? These are the kinds of difficult decisions we need to make,” he said.
At Mawuli School and OLA Senior High School, school management appealed for urgent attention to incomplete infrastructure projects, including dormitory and classroom block construction. Both schools are in dire need of additional facilities to accommodate the growing student population and improve the learning environment.
Mr. Kumah concluded by urging stakeholders across the education sector to work together and formulate a long-term plan that ensures free education can continue to thrive while meeting the evolving needs of students and schools across the country. Without a sustainable plan, he cautioned, even the wealthiest nations could struggle to maintain such an education system.
