Ghana Allocates GH¢562 Million to Teacher Trainees, BECE Fees, and Basic Schools in 2027 Budget

The government has allocated a combined GH¢562 million to support teacher trainee allowances, Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) fees, and the Capitation Grant in the 2027 Budget, Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson has announced.

Presenting the 2027 Budget Statement to Parliament on Thursday, November 12, 2026, Dr. Forson said the provisions were intended to sustain teacher training, ease the financial burden on BECE candidates, and provide operational support to public basic schools.

The Breakdown

Teacher trainee allowances will receive GH¢227 million, the largest of the three allocations. Dr. Forson said the funding would support trainees preparing to join the teaching profession .

BECE fees have been allocated GH¢169 million, intended to support the conduct of the examination and reduce the financial obligations placed on candidates and their families .

The Capitation Grant will receive GH¢166 million to support public basic schools with their operations and facilitate teaching and learning .

Within a GH¢48 Billion Education Envelope

The three provisions form part of the GH¢48 billion allocated to the Ministry of Education for the 2027 financial year . That broader allocation includes GH¢11.2 billion for the Ghana Education Trust Fund, GH¢1.37 billion to transform secondary education and eliminate the double-track system, and GH¢537 million for the No Fees Stress policy for first-year tertiary students .

The budget also includes GH¢292 million to support the distribution of free sanitary pads to schoolgirls . A separate allocation of GH¢250 million has been made to the Scholarship Secretariat to support its scholarship responsibilities .

The Stakes for Basic Education

The allocations come as Ghana's education sector grapples with persistent challenges: infrastructure deficits that sustain the double-track system, examination costs that strain household budgets, and the need to attract and retain teachers in the profession.

The BECE remains a critical transition point in Ghana's basic education system, assessing pupils at the end of junior high school. The government's decision to fund the examination directly is intended to ensure that costs do not become a barrier to completion.

For teacher trainees, the allowance has been a long-standing feature of Ghana's teacher education policy, designed to sustain enrollment and support trainees during their professional preparation. The GH¢227 million provision signals the government's intent to maintain that support despite broader fiscal pressures.

As Parliament begins deliberations on the budget, the question will be whether these allocations reach the institutions and individuals they are intended for—and whether the Capitation Grant's GH¢166 million is sufficient to meet the operational needs of public basic schools across the country.