2026 MID-YEAR BUDGET REVIEW: Ghana Unveils US$300m World Bank Programme to Transform Secondary Education

Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson has announced a US$300 million World Bank-backed programme aimed at expanding and improving secondary education across Ghana.

The initiative, unveiled during the presentation of the 2026 Mid-Year Budget Review in Parliament on Thursday, July 23, is expected to benefit about 2.3 million students, more than 100,000 teachers and 2,000 school leaders.

The programme will support 210 major infrastructure projects nationwide, including the construction of 10 new secondary schools, the rehabilitation of 156 existing institutions and the upgrading of 30 Category C schools to Category B status.

A further 20 Category B schools will be elevated to Category A, with the government also providing furniture for the upgraded institutions.

Dr Forson said students in public secondary schools would also be provided with free textbooks under the programme.

The 10 new schools will be constructed in underserved communities across the Western North, Greater Accra, Oti, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Savannah and Central regions to expand access to secondary education.

The Finance Minister said the investment was central to the government’s plan to end the double-track system within the next two years by increasing school capacity and expanding infrastructure.

Beyond infrastructure, the programme is designed to improve learning outcomes in key subjects such as mathematics and science, while encouraging more girls to pursue STEM and TVET programmes.

It will also focus on equipping young people with digital, technical and green skills to prepare them for emerging employment opportunities and a rapidly changing economy.

Dr Forson said the investment underscored the government’s commitment to strengthening Ghana’s education system and preparing the country’s youth to compete in an increasingly technology-driven global economy.