• Ghana plans 600 new school buildings for 2026

• Program includes kindergarten, primary and junior high blocks

• Initiative aims to ease infrastructure pressure from rising enrollment

President John Dramani Mahama announced the construction of 600 new school buildings nationwide for the 2026 fiscal year during his State of the Nation address to Parliament on Friday, Feb. 27. The program includes 200 blocks for kindergartens, 200 for primary schools and 200 for junior high schools.

The initiative is part of broader efforts by education authorities to improve learning conditions. Local media report that addressing infrastructure gaps is key to ensuring that core skills such as reading, writing, numeracy and critical thinking are effectively developed at the basic education level.

Rising pressure on the education system

The construction program is accompanied by additional initiatives aimed at strengthening the education system. According to UNESCO data, Ghana’s population is projected to reach 33.47 million in 2025, increasing pressure on schools to accommodate a growing number of students.

Between 2001 and 2023, enrollment in primary and lower secondary education rose from 2.6 million to more than 4.7 million students, according to the think tank WATHI, highlighting the strain on existing school infrastructure.

The initiative comes as Ghana continues to face structural challenges in its education system, according to the National Education Strategic Plan (2018-2030). These include high student-to-classroom ratios and shortages of teaching materials, despite recent budgetary efforts to improve access to and the quality of basic education.

Speaking at the Education World Forum in London last May, Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu said more than 5,000 schools in Ghana still operate under trees or in temporary structures.

Félicien Houindo Lokossou