Haruna Iddrisu Takes Over as Minister of Education
President John Dramani Mahama has officially sworn in Hon. Haruna Iddrisu as Ghana’s new Minister of Education, following his approval by Parliament. Hon. Iddrisu, a seasoned politician and Member of Parliament for Tamale South, has pledged to prioritise equitable access to quality education for all Ghanaian children, regardless of their background.
Shortly after his assumption of office, the Executive Director of Ghana ASCD, Dr. Charles Yeboah, paid a courtesy call on the Minister to introduce the organization and its mission of supporting educator and leadership development. During the visit, Dr. Yeboah extended a formal invitation to the Minister to participate in the upcoming International Educators Summit, a flagship event that brings together education stakeholders from around the world to explore innovations in teaching and leadership.
During his parliamentary vetting, Minister Iddrisu committed to collaborating with the Ministry of Finance to uncap the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), a move aimed at increasing funding for educational infrastructure. Over the years, GETFund’s budget had been capped, limiting its ability to finance essential school projects and learning materials.
“In the last few years, the GETFund has suffered because of the decision of the then Finance Minister to cap it. President Mahama has gone public, and I join him to say that we will uncap GETFund to free additional resources to support robust infrastructural development,” the minister said.
The new Minister also assured that the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy will not be canceled but rather expanded to include qualified private schools, ensuring broader access to secondary education. This policy direction was affirmed by the President in his recent national address.
To support access to tertiary education, the government plans to invest GH¢375 million to fund free first-year university education for eligible students.
Hon. Iddrisu further emphasised that his leadership would focus on teacher welfare and training, digital learning reforms, and strengthening technical and vocational education to align more closely with Ghana’s evolving industry needs.
With his extensive experience in Ghana’s Parliament and a strong commitment to social equity, Hon. Iddrisu is expected to drive meaningful reforms in the education sector.