The Executive Secretary of the Inter-Ministerial Coordinating Committee on Decentralisation (IMCC), Dr. Gameli Kewuribe Hoedoafia, paid a working visit to the Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, at the Ministry of Education in Accra.

The visit, held on 21st August 2025, was aimed at strengthening collaboration towards advancing Ghana’s decentralisation reforms, particularly within the education sector.

Discussions focused on the devolution of the education sector to improve service delivery at the local level.

Both parties also reflected on earlier efforts under the Pre-Tertiary Education Act, initiated during the NDC government, and the lessons learnt from its implementation.

Dr. Hoedoafia reaffirmed the government’s commitment, stating: “One of the marching orders of His Excellency John Dramani Mahama is the issue of education sector devolution. The IMCC worked very well on the pre-tertiary education bill prior to 2016, with decentralisation provisions at the core of the bill. Unfortunately, the change of government stalled the process. The bill was eventually passed into law without those provisions, therefore requiring the necessary amendments in consultation with all stakeholders.”

Hon. Haruna Iddrisu welcomed the visit and expressed the Ministry’s readiness to collaborate with the IMCC to deliver equitable and accountable education services at the local level.

 He also highlighted a key concern: “The previous government was wrong in defining basic education to include senior high schools. Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE) in law does not include free senior high school, making that provision unconstitutional.”

While endorsing the decentralisation drive, the Minister stressed that resources remain the biggest challenge. He pledged his full support and announced that a four-member team from the Ministry, led by the Technical Advisor, Prof. K.T. Oduro, will work closely with the IMCC to fast-track the reforms in the education sector.

The visit forms part of Dr. Hoedoafia’s broader engagements with members of the Inter-Ministerial Coordinating Committee to strengthen inter-sectoral collaboration.

The forward-looking meeting reaffirmed the shared commitment of both institutions to advancing Ghana’s decentralisation agenda, with a strong focus on education sector reforms that promote inclusivity, accountability, and improved service delivery at the local level.