SHS level consumes bulk of education budget

The Senior High School level of education consumed the largest proportion of government expenditure on education within the 2014/15 academic year, the latest report from the Education Ministry has revealed.

The 2015 Education Sector Performance report revealed that the sub-sector accounted for 22.2 percent of the total GH?6.6billion funds budgeted for the entire education sector, followed closely by primary education with 22percent.

Tertiary and Junior High School levels of education accounted for 16.2percent and 16.1 percent of spending respectively.

The 2014/15 annual school census recorded 562 public Senior High Schools, indicating an increase of 6 from the last exercise.

The gross enrolment rate and total enrolment increased from 43.9 percent in 2013/14 to 45.6percent 2014/2015, continuing the upward trend. The net enrolment rate also increased from 21.8percent to 22.5percent, indicating that more students of appropriate age are attending SHS, reflected in the increase in enrolment of the correct age students.

The Education Ministry says the increase in secondary education budget is as a results of a number of policies it took within the period.

The Progressively Free SHS programme, introduced in September last year, for example, saw the release of GH?12.1 million by government for same.

Additionally, the Community Senior High Schools Project (CSHSP), meant to increase Secondary school enrolment, and to decongest existing schools, has also seen a lot of capital injection over the period under review.

The Ministry of Education under the Secondary Education Improvement Project (SEIP), which the World Bank is supporting with USD $156 million, is expected to construct 23 secondary schools, aside the 200 promised by President Mahama.

Total spending on education in 2014 was nearly GHS 6.6billion, marking a substantial increase from 2013 of 15.2%

This can be accounted for through an increase in Government of Government expenditure which went up from GH? 4.5 billion in 2013 to GH? 5.2 billion in 2014. In addition, an increase in expenditure of 11.3 percent from Internally Generated Funds (IGF) was noted, as well as a 17.1percent increase in Annual Budget Funding Amount (ABFA). Donor expenditure also increased in 2014 compared to 2013 by 19.7%, the Education Ministry said.