The Ghana Education Service (GES) has directed Regional Directors of Education to ensure that capitation grants for the first term of the 2026/2027 academic year are transferred to basic schools by Friday, October 30, 2026.
The directive follows the transfer of the funds into the accounts of the various District Education Directorates for onward disbursement to schools, according to a letter issued by the GES management on October 16, 2026.
In the letter, signed by Deputy Director-General in charge of Quality and Access, Dr Munanaru Issahaku, on behalf of the Director-General, the Service said the funds had been made available to the district directorates to facilitate the smooth running of basic schools during the first term.
Regional Directors have consequently been tasked with ensuring that the funds reach the beneficiary schools within the stipulated period to enable school heads to carry out their administrative and operational responsibilities without disruption.
“Regional Directors are therefore by this letter, requested to ensure that the funds are transferred to the schools on or before Friday, 30th October, 2026, to enable Heads of Basic Schools operate seamlessly,” the letter stated.
The GES further clarified that the transfers to the District Education Directorates include the sports and culture component allocated to the district offices.
However, the sports and culture allocations for the regional offices have been transferred separately into their designated accounts.
The clarification is intended to distinguish between the funds allocated to district offices and those meant for regional-level sports and cultural activities.
As part of efforts to ensure compliance with the directive, the GES has announced plans to deploy a monitoring team from its headquarters to the regions during the first week of November 2026.
The team is expected to monitor the disbursement process and ascertain whether the funds have been transferred to the schools as directed.
The Service has therefore urged Regional Directors to expedite the process rather than wait until the October 30 deadline, stressing the need for the funds to reach the schools promptly.
“Kindly take note that a team from the Headquarters will be going to the regions for monitoring in the first week of November 2026, so please ensure that the funds are transferred to the schools immediately,” the letter added.
The timely release and disbursement of capitation grants are important to the day-to-day administration of public basic schools, as the funds are intended to support approved school-level activities and operational needs.
Delays in transferring the grants to beneficiary schools can place pressure on school heads as they manage essential activities during the academic term.
The latest directive therefore places responsibility on the regional and district education authorities to ensure that the funds transferred to the district accounts reach the intended schools within the prescribed period.
With the October 30 deadline approaching, the planned monitoring exercise is expected to provide the GES headquarters with an opportunity to assess compliance across the regions.
The Service has urged all Regional Directors of Education to cooperate with management and ensure that the disbursement process is completed promptly to support the smooth operation of basic schools throughout the first term of the 2026/2027 academic year.
By 1960news.com
