More than three million pupils across Ghana are still studying under trees, sheds, churches and other temporary structures because 10,730 public basic schools do not have classroom blocks, according to the Report of the Auditor-General on the Public Accounts of Ghana, Ministries, Departments and Other Agencies (MDAs) for the Year Ending 31st December 2025.
The Auditor-General found that the affected schools, spread across 13 regions, have a combined enrolment of 3,050,808 pupils, contrary to Section 36 of the Pre-Tertiary Education Act, 2020 (Act 1049).
The report stated: “Contrary to Section 36 of the Pre-Tertiary Education Act, 2020 (Act 1049), we noted that 10,730 public basic schools in 13 regions, with enrollment figures totalling 3,050,808 did not have classroom blocks. As a result, teaching and learning were conducted under trees, sheds, churches and other temporary shelters.”
The Auditor-General recommended that the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service (GES) take immediate steps to address the infrastructure deficit.
According to the report: “We recommended that the Minister for Education and the Director General of Education prioritise the provision of classroom blocks for the affected schools to ensure effective teaching and learning…”
The audit also uncovered payroll irregularities in the health sector. According to the report, four nurses who had been posted to Ama Dansowaah Clinic, a private health facility at Dadieso, remained on the Government of Ghana payroll and were paid a total of GH¢619,869 between April 2021 and June 2025, contrary to Regulation 86 of the Public Financial Management Regulations, 2019 (L.I. 2378).
The report stated: “Contrary to Regulation 86 of the Public Financial Management Regulations, 2019 (L.I. 2378), four nurses who were posted to a private facility, Ama Dansowaah Clinic at Dadieso, remained on the government payroll and were paid a total amount of GH¢619,869 from April 2021 to June 2025.”
The Auditor-General recommended that the Regional Health Director recover the GH¢619,869 together with interest at the prevailing Bank of Ghana rate, from the District Director, the former District Director and the validators, and pay the recovered amount into the Auditor-General’s Recoveries Account at the Bank of Ghana.
The report added that: “Failing this, the Regional Director should be held personally liable to refund the amount.”
The findings form part of the Auditor-General’s report submitted to Parliament in accordance with Article 187 of the 1992 Constitution and the Audit Service Act, 2000 (Act 584) following an audit of the accounts of Ministries, Departments and Other Agencies for the year ended December 31, 2025.
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The post Over 3 Million Pupils Still Learn Under Trees -Auditor General appeared first on The Ghanaian Chronicle.
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