Education policy think tank Africa Education Watch has called on the government to reform the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) allocation formula to address educational deprivation better and increase funding for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).
The call was made at the launch of Eduwatch’s 2025 Annual Education Policy Monitoring Report at the University of Ghana on June 3.
According to the report, the current DACF allocation formula does not adequately reflect educational deprivation, resulting in districts with severe infrastructure deficits receiving less funding than better-resourced districts.
Eduwatch noted that although the government has directed District Assemblies to allocate 20 per cent of DACF transfers to basic education infrastructure, the distribution of funds remains inequitable.
The report cited Zabzugu, Nabdam, Bongo, and Tatale as districts with significant infrastructure and furniture deficits that received an average of about GH¢2 million by December 2025. In contrast, Adentan, La Nkwantanang-Madina, Ledzokuku and Ga East, which face relatively lower deficits, received an average of about GH¢4 million over the same period.
Eduwatch warned that the current allocation pattern risks widening infrastructure inequalities instead of reducing them.
The organisation therefore recommended revising the DACF formula to incorporate education deprivation indicators, including classroom shortages, furniture deficits and infrastructure gaps, to ensure districts with the greatest needs receive proportionately higher support.
The report also raised concerns about poor ventilation and inadequate lighting in some newly constructed basic schools and called for stricter enforcement of the Ministry of Education’s standardised and inclusive school infrastructure designs.
Eduwatch urged Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to work closely with District Education Offices to strengthen technical oversight of school construction projects.
On skills development, the report highlighted the continued underfunding of pre-tertiary TVET despite its importance to industrialisation and youth employment.
According to Eduwatch, pre-tertiary TVET received only 2.5 per cent of the main education budget in 2025.
The organisation consequently called for a gradual increase in TVET funding to at least 6 per cent of the education budget, alongside investments in workshops, equipment, teacher recruitment, and workplace-experience learning programmes.
Eduwatch further urged the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Finance, Parliament, the DACF Administrator and District Assemblies to prioritise equity, efficiency and accountability in education financing to ensure public resources reach schools and learners with the greatest needs.
“Eduwatch urges the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Finance, Parliament, the DACF Administrator and all District Assemblies to prioritise equity, efficiency and accountability in education financing so that public resources reach the schools and learners with the greatest need,” the report said.
