MPs bag GH¢20m GETFund cash

An amount of GH¢20,625,000.00 has been allocated to Members of Parliament (MPs) as their share of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) for this year.

The amount is to be used to undertake projects and for the monitoring of the projects in their respective constituencies.

A further GH¢15,000.00 has been earmarked to each of the lawmakers for the monitoring of education related projects.

This was contained in the report of the Committee of the Whole on the proposed formula for the distribution of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) for the year 2018.

A total of GH¢924,804,543.00 is expected to be accrue into the GETFund for the 2018 fiscal year.

Per the formula, an amount of GH¢328,136,603.00, representing 35.48% has been earmarked for the Tertiary sub-sector while GH¢256,323,360.00, representing 27.72% has been pencilled for the Secondary sub-sector.

The Basic Education sub-sector is expected to bag GH¢253,115,580.00, representing 27.37% with a further GH¢66,604,000.00, representing 7.20% has been earmarked for the GETFund and the Ministry of Education.

The GETFund, according to the report of the committee, would focus on the provision for intervention programs such as Capitation Grant; Feeding Grant to Special Schools; Senior High School subsidy for continuing students; additional subsidy for continuing Day Students of Senior High Schools; Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) subsidy; and Counterpart Funding for skills development.

The Fund, Kasapafmonline.com understands, will continue the implementation of projects and programs for the 2018 fiscal year including; fencing of schools with high risk of encroachment; provision of white boards in schools; construction of kindergarten facilities; and regulatory and policy reforms.

The Fund would further undertake academic facilities and infrastructure, allocation of funds to the Students Loan Trust Fund, scholarships, and procurement of teaching and learning materials.

The Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu commenting on the report of the committee cautioned the government not to use the 2018 GETFund to pay the allowances of Teacher Trainees.

He said the allocation of GH¢447 million out of the GH¢924.8 million allocations to GETFund in the 2018 budget to pay Teacher Trainee allowances and other education requirements is unconstitutional.