Ghana’s education sector has been identified as one of the weakest performers in public financial management compliance, with the University of Ghana, the Ministry of Education, and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment all ranked in the lowest tier of a new government assessment.

The findings are contained in the Public Financial Management (PFM) Compliance League Table released by the Ministry of Finance, which evaluated 101 public institutions based on their adherence to the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921) and related financial regulations.

In total, 19 institutions were placed in the “Least Compliant” category, with the three education-linked bodies among those flagged for significant shortcomings.

The Ministry said the rankings are intended as an objective, evidence-based benchmarking tool to strengthen accountability across the public sector.

“By constructively ranking institutions based on their level of compliance, the Ministry seeks to deepen transparency, promote accountability, and encourage continuous improvement across the public sector in the management and use of public resources,” the report noted.

The placement of the University of Ghana in the bottom tier is particularly notable, given its status as the country’s premier public university.

In contrast, the Ghana Education Trust Fund recorded a stronger performance, ranking 18th in the broader “Compliant” band. The gap in rankings points to uneven financial management practices within the education sector.

The Ministry of Finance says it will engage directly with all low-performing institutions through its PFM Compliance Division to identify gaps and implement corrective measures, warning that stricter enforcement actions will follow if improvements are not made.