Parliament passes bill to guarantee free education for PWDs, special needs learners
The bill, passed on Thursday, 11 December 2025, also formally anchors the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy in law, turning what had been policy commitments into enforceable statutory entitlements.
Parliament has unanimously approved the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) Amendment Bill, 2025, giving firm legal backing to a suite of flagship education policies, including free tertiary education for Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) and free education for persons with special needs.
The bill, passed on Thursday, 11 December 2025, also formally anchors the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy in law, turning what had been policy commitments into enforceable statutory entitlements.
The amendment retools the original GETFund Act, 2000 (Act 581) so that the Fund’s mandate reflects government’s current education priorities. Key measures now written into law include:
Ring-fenced funding for Free SHS
GETFund is now expressly tasked with providing continuous, sustainable financing for the Free SHS programme, helping shield it from year-to-year budget shocks.
Free tertiary education for PWDs
The state is now legally required to absorb the full cost of tertiary education for eligible Persons With Disabilities, removing a major financial hurdle to higher education for this group.
Free education for persons with special needs
The law guarantees free education at all levels for persons with special needs, and commits resources for specialised schools and supportive learning environments tailored to their needs.
The Fund, financed through a 2.5% VAT component, is expected to serve as the primary financial backbone for these interventions.
Lawmakers and sector watchers say the reform could be transformative for PWDs, whose education levels lag significantly behind the national average, often because of high costs and a lack of accessible infrastructure.
The new framework is positioned as part of Ghana’s effort to give practical effect to its international commitments, including:
The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD); and
Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), which calls for inclusive and equitable quality education for all.
By hard-wiring these entitlements into the GETFund law, Parliament aims to create a more predictable and durable financing base for inclusive education policies.
With the bill now passed, the focus moves from legislation to implementation quality and resource allocation.
Tertiary institutions and special schools will require substantial investment to:
Upgrade and retrofit infrastructure for accessibility;
Acquire assistive technologies and learning aids; and
Train educators and support staff to work effectively with PWDs and special needs learners.
Disability rights groups, education unions and civil society are expected to closely track how the Ministry of Education and the GETFund Secretariat disburse funds under the new mandate, pressing to ensure that the expanded financing translates into tangible improvements in access, inclusion and educational outcomes for the intended beneficiaries.
