The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has announced that the government will make education completely free for all persons with special needs beginning January 2026.
The Minister said the 39 Integrated and Special Needs Schools across the country will also benefit from an increase in their daily feeding allocation from GHC8 to GHC15.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday, December 3, 2025 to mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the Minister noted that additionally, about GHC100 million will be released annually from the GETFund to support feeding of Persons With Disabilities (PWDs).
“Mr. Speaker, I am happy to note that from January 1, 2026, President Mahama will make a formal declaration declaring education for all persons with special needs free in Ghana and we would want that to be an enduring legacy and to reach out to them as very marginalized deprived people.
“They live on GHC8 a day, government is increasing that to GHC15. I am here with an amendment to the GETFund Act and part of the amendment is to declare special needs education free in Ghana. And every other year the GETFund will be obliged through Parliament to make a minimum allocation of GHC65 million to GHC100 million dedicated to their feeding,” he stated.
He said the president has also directed an increment in the district assemblies common fund allocation for PWDs to be increased from the current 3% to 5%.
“I am also aware that the President has directed that District Assembly Common Fund allocation for Persons With Disabilities must be increased from 3% to 5% and that this money must be spent at the local level and accessibility to the Fund must be from the Federation of Disabled People as part of his determination to reach out to Persons With Disability,” he added.
He said government will also provide assistive devices including devices that can aid hearing for those who are unable to hear.