Education Ministry Bolsters Support with GH¢100m Special Needs Fund and GH¢187m Student Loan Disbursement

The Ministry of Education has announced a series of significant financial commitments aimed at enhancing educational equity and accessibility across Ghana. In a landmark directive, the Minister of Education, Mr. Haruna Iddrisu, has instructed the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) to allocate GH¢100 million annually to special needs education starting in 2027. This initiative is designed to strengthen inclusive education and significantly improve learning conditions for over 9,000 students with disabilities. To provide immediate relief, the Ministry has also increased the daily feeding grant for special schools to GH¢15 per learner and earmarked GH¢40 million specifically for the procurement of assistive devices to enhance classroom participation.

In tandem with these inclusive education efforts, the Students Loan Trust Fund (SLTF) has reached a major milestone in tertiary education financing, disbursing a total of GH¢187,698,371.63 to 49,414 students across the country. This funding was distributed through two primary channels: the Regular Students Loan scheme, which supported 47,988 beneficiaries with over GH¢170.4 million, and the Students Loan Plus initiative. The Plus scheme, which targets students with unique financial needs including over 600 individuals pursuing legal education, has disbursed more than GH¢17.2 million to 1,426 beneficiaries to ensure full tuition coverage.

Looking ahead to the 2025/2026 academic year, the SLTF has set a firm deadline of July 15, 2026, for all new and returning student loan applications. Tertiary students are strongly urged to complete their submissions through the application portal well in advance to avoid technical congestion and ensure that funds are processed and disbursed in a timely manner. The SLTF emphasizes that prompt application is critical for the trust to maintain its commitment to providing the necessary financial backbone for students to complete their higher education without disruption.

These combined initiatives represent a holistic approach by the government to remove financial and physical barriers to learning. By addressing the historical funding challenges faced by special needs institutions and expanding the reach of the student loan system, the Ministry aims to create a more equitable educational landscape. These investments underscore a broader national strategy to ensure that quality education remains accessible to all Ghanaian children and youth, regardless of their physical abilities or economic background.