Tax Ed in Ghana

Ghana has made notable progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4). In particular, the government has made significant progress in improving pupil–teacher ratios and expanding the proportion of trained teachers. 

Despite this progress, deep-seated inequalities persist across gender, geography, and socioeconomic status – children’s opportunities still vary sharply depending on family income, where they live, and whether they have special educational needs.

To tackle the inequalities that prevent many children from completing a full cycle of quality, equitable public education, Ghana must urgently expand its public spending capacity. Yet this has become increasingly difficult amid rising debt servicing and a chronic debt crisis, which continues to drain precious revenues; in 2025, interest payments on foreign debts amounted to about 1.5 times larger than the education budget. 

To effectively increase in public investment in education in Ghana, the TaxEd Alliance’s 4S approach provides guidance:

1. Share – Allocate a larger share of the budget to education
2. Size – Expand overall revenues through fair taxation and debt justice
3. Sensitivity – Target spending to reach the most marginalised
4. Scrutiny – Strengthen transparency and accountability so that funds reach schools