Education policy think tank, Africa Education Watch (Eduwatch) has raised concerns over what it describes as inequitable allocation of education infrastructure funding through the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF), warning that the current formula is worsening rural–urban disparities in access to basic education.
In a new policy brief released on Saturday, May 2, 2026, the education advocacy group said infrastructure deficits remain one of the biggest barriers to access and progression in Ghana’s basic education system, particularly in underserved rural communities.
According to the report, some regions in northern Ghana have up to 60% of primary schools without an attached Junior High School (JHS), making it difficult for pupils to transition from primary school to the next level and contributing to increased dropout rates.
The group noted that the government introduced a decentralised financing model through the District Assemblies Common Fund to help address infrastructure challenges in basic education.
However, it said the current allocation model has failed to adequately target districts with the greatest infrastructure deficits.
“DACF allocations for education have so far proven to be inequitable, potentially reinforcing existing rural–urban disparities in basic school infrastructure,” the policy brief stated.
According to Eduwatch, the mismatch between infrastructure needs and funding distribution is contributing to persistent shortages of Junior High School facilities in many deprived communities.
The organisation said this has broader implications for education access, retention, and equity, particularly in northern parts of the country where school infrastructure gaps remain acute.
As part of its recommendations, Africa Education Watch is calling on the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Local Government to revise the DACF education allocation model.
The group is thus calling on the government to adopt a needs-based funding formula that prioritises districts with the most severe school infrastructure deficits.
“It calls on the Ministries of Education and Local Government to introduce a needs-weighted DACF education sub-formula that aligns allocation with basic school infrastructure deficits,” the report said.
Eduwatch believes such reforms will help close infrastructure gaps, improve transition rates from primary to JHS, and reduce school dropouts in rural communities.
