GETFund explains mandate as EFPI expands partnerships to support Ghana’s education sector

The Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) and the Education Financing and Partnership Initiative (EFPI) have provided insights into their operations and mandate, as well as their various activities aimed at supporting Ghana's education sector. Speaking on JoyNews’ AM Show, officials from both initiatives explained their roles and how they complement the nation's educational efforts.

GETFund's Deputy Director, Adwoa Amankwah Boateng Appiah, and Senior Manager Shine Hakeem Torsu, along with Principal Manager of Corporate Affairs Bailon Afful, jointly explained their mandate and the activities they undertake. According to the officials, GETFund's primary mandate is to provide supplementary funding to the government for educational infrastructure and facilities across the public sector, ranging from pre-tertiary to tertiary levels.

Additionally, GETFund also offers scholarship support, albeit a small portion of its overall operations.

Mr. Afful clarified that the perception that GETFund is primarily focused on scholarships is inaccurate. In reality, scholarships only constitute about 5% of the Fund's activities. Instead, GETFund's primary focus is on providing infrastructural support, recognizing that government funding alone is insufficient to meet the sector's needs.

The Education Financing and Partnership Initiative (EFPI) was established within GETFund in 2005 to complement the government's funding efforts. Mr. Afful explained that the initiative was formed due to the recognition that there was funding available under a specific aspect of existing legislation that had not been utilized until then.

This led to the creation of the fundraising department within GETFund, which subsequently became EFPI. Madam Appiah further elaborated on EFPI's purpose, stating that it was designed to supplement the government's support for education, rather than replace it.

EFPI focuses on several key areas to enhance the education sector. These include the construction of educational infrastructure, particularly classrooms; support for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET); improvement of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education; and provision of essential educational materials such as furniture and other resources.

The officials emphasized that the GETFund levy remains a crucial part of the government's support for education, and GETFund continues to utilize this levy. However, they added that there are additional ways to support the education sector, and hence the introduction of EFPI to engage the private sector, alumni associations, religious bodies, and individuals in providing supplementary support.