Education think tank, Africa Education Watch is raising concerns over the government’s delay in releasing capitation grants to basic schools.

It says the government’s deliberate capping of capitation grants is hindering the quality of education in the country.

The capitation grant was designed to finance the purchase of teaching and learning materials and in some cases pay for small repairs, administration, and examination expenses.

The Executive Secretary of Africa Education Watch, Kofi Asare wants the Ministry of Finance to release the funds in full to schools.

“l don’t see anything positive happening at the capitation grants in 2023, because if you look at the goods and services budget line of the Ministry of Finance where the capitation grant is actually financed, the reason why the grant is delaying is that the Ministry of Finance is not releasing the goods and services allocation to the Ghana Education Service and Ministry of Education,” the Executive Secretary of Africa Education Watch said.

He was sceptical about the improvement of the capitation grants, bemoaning the government’s cut down on the grants.

“Last year 2022, GH¢2.92 million was allocated for basic education in terms of the goods and services, capitation grants and teacher learning resources, feeding grants to special schools, BECE subsidiary, byut when the minister went to Parliament to read 2023 budget, less than 19% had been disbursed. As of now, less than 20 percent has been disbursed.

“That is why capitation grants didn’t come. But what makes the matter worse is that even at GH¢2.92 million, we don’t see anything. In 2023, the goods and budget line have been slashed by 40%, so it’s difficult for me to be optimistic about capitation grants improvements unless something extra-budgetary comes up now and 2023,” he stated.