For years, improving access to quality basic education has remained a major priority for successive governments in Ghana. Beyond increasing enrolment, one of the biggest challenges
The report indicates that for years, improving access to quality basic education has remained a major priority for successive governments in Ghana. Beyond increasing enrolment, one of the biggest challenges has been ensuring that pupils have access to safe, permanent, and conducive learning environments.
It further notes that findings from the 2025 Auditor General’s Report reveal that infrastructure gaps continue to affect basic education delivery across the country, raising concerns about the progress made in addressing the long-standing challenge of inadequate classroom facilities.
The report highlights a significant infrastructure deficit in public basic schools, noting that 10,730 public basic schools across 13 regions did not have classroom blocks. These schools had a combined enrolment figure of 3,050,808 pupils, meaning millions of children were receiving lessons in environments that were not designed to support effective teaching and learning.
According to the report, the absence of classroom blocks has forced teaching and learning activities to take place under trees, sheds, churches, and other temporary shelters.
The situation, according to the Auditor General’s report, was contrary to Section 36 of the Pre-Tertiary Education Act, 2020 (Act 1049), which establishes the responsibility of the Ghana Education Service in providing and maintaining public basic and senior high school infrastructure.
Under Section 36(1) of the Act, “the Education Service shall construct, equip, and maintain public basic and senior high schools.”
The law, therefore, places an obligation on the Education Service to ensure that schools have the necessary physical structures and facilities required for effective teaching and learning. The Act further requires that the environment created for public basic and senior high schools must be user-friendly for persons with disabilities and children with special education needs.
This legal requirement highlights that school infrastructure is not only about providing buildings but also ensuring that learning environments are safe, functional, accessible and suitable for all categories of learners.
The Auditor General subsequently recommended that the Minister for Education and the Director General of Education prioritise the provision of classroom blocks for the affected schools to create an environment that supports effective teaching and learning and improves the overall quality of education delivery.
Classroom Pressure and the Pupil-Classroom Ratio Challenge
The challenge of inadequate classroom infrastructure is not entirely new. Data from the Education Sector Analysis (ESA) 2018 had already highlighted pressure on existing classroom facilities across different levels of basic education.
One of the key indicators used to measure the adequacy of school infrastructure is the Pupil-Classroom Ratio (PCR). This measures the average number of pupils assigned to one classroom and provides an indication of whether available classroom infrastructure is sufficient to accommodate the number of learners in schools.
According to the 2018 Education Sector Analysis, in 2016, the national average PCR stood at:
While the national averages for primary and JHS appeared to fall within acceptable ranges, the figures masked significant differences across regions.
