Mahama Unveils 30 Transformative Education Reforms in NDC Manifesto
Education reforms in Ghana 2024

Mahama Unveils 30 Transformative Education Reforms in NDC Manifesto
The National Democratic Congress (NDC), led by John Dramani Mahama, has unveiled a comprehensive plan to reshape Ghana’s education sector as part of their manifesto titled “Resetting Ghana: Jobs, Accountability and Prosperity.” This bold initiative includes 30 transformative education reforms aimed at addressing critical challenges in the sector while improving accessibility, equity, and quality of education in Ghana.
Key Highlights of the 30 Education Reforms
The proposed reforms focus on early childhood education, infrastructure development, tertiary education, teacher welfare, and more. Below are the major promises outlined in the NDC manifesto:
Bright Beginnings Initiative: Reviving early childhood education to ensure seamless integration into lifelong learning.
Furniture for All Initiative: Partnering with local industries to address the basic school furniture deficit.
Comprehensive provision of textbooks to improve the pupil-to-textbook ratio.
Infrastructure development to eliminate schools under trees and rehabilitate dilapidated buildings.
Improved Free SHS Programme: Introducing a sustainable funding model.
Decentralizing food procurement for Senior High Schools to boost local economies.
Abolishing the double-track system for a stable academic calendar.
Completing abandoned E-blocks and expanding SHS and TVET institutions.
Continued provision of free laptops/tablets for students.
Equipping Science Resource Centres to enhance STEM/TVET education.
The manifesto also promises to reform the Computerized School Selection & Placement System (CSSPS), establish regional TVET Centres of Excellence, and implement a No-Academic-Fee policy for first-year students in public tertiary institutions.
Focus on Tertiary Education
A key aspect of the manifesto is support for tertiary education. Notable initiatives include:
Free tertiary education for persons with disabilities.
Reintroduction of financial assistance for continuing students via a reformed Student Loan Trust Fund Plus.
Establishing Tertiary Endowment Funds to support students in public universities.
Expanding student accommodation through a ‘Bed-for-All’ programme in partnership with the private sector.
Empowering Teachers
Teachers remain central to Mahama’s reforms, with promises to abolish the teacher licensure examination, integrate licensing into trainee final exams, and eliminate the mandatory national service policy for teacher graduates. Other key pledges include:
Timely promotions and improved remuneration.
A 20% basic salary allowance for teachers in rural and underserved areas.
Flexible payment schemes to assist teachers in owning vehicles.
Construction of teacher accommodation facilities under the ‘Teacher Dabr3’ Project.
Other Notable Reforms
The manifesto also emphasizes investment in research, with a promise to establish a National Research Fund, restore GETFund to its original mandate, and prohibit awarding government scholarships to political appointees.
Implications for Ghana’s Education Sector
If implemented, these reforms promise a significant overhaul of Ghana’s education system, with a focus on inclusivity, sustainability, and modernization. While the manifesto is ambitious, questions about feasibility and funding remain, as stakeholders await further details.
Stay updated on this story and more education news by subscribing to our newsletter. You can also join our official WhatsApp channel for daily updates via THIS LINK.
