Ghanaian Government has announced its readiness to increase the research funding of tertiary education teachers from 0.3% to one percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Government’s budgetary allocation to tertiary education shall be at least 2.5 percent of GDP while at least 50 percent of the Ghana Education Trust Fund budget allocation shall be disbursed to tertiary education.

The Executive Secretary of the National Council for Tertiary Education in Ghana, Professor Mohammed Salifu, announced this New development. 

He said, The government of Ghana would establish a National Research and Innovation Fund to address priority areas of research and development in support of national economic growth and poverty reduction.

He addressed a National Forum on Tertiary Education Reforms organized by the Ministries of Education and Information in Accra to announce new policy reforms for tertiary educational institutions.

“Tuition would be free for all Ghanaian students except those who opted for the fee-paying category,” he said.

He further said the cost of tertiary education, would be shared between Government, Tertiary Education Institutions, students and the private sector.

Ghanaian students would pay Academic Facility User fees and those in halls of residence would bear the cost of utilities consumed.

However, non-Ghanaian students would pay the full cost of their education while tertiary education institutions are required to generate at least 30 percent of their budget requirements.

Prof Salifu said all academic staff was required to go through teacher education programmes before their institutions give them the approval to teach.

He cautioned public tertiary institutions to desist from using internally generated funds, saying it is part of public money that needed approval from the government before it could be used.

He said, “Internally Generated Fund is not for the institution, and if its usage is not backed by law, then it becomes arbitrary.”