The Executive Secretary of Africa Education Watch (Eduwatch), Kofi Asare, has criticised Ghana for failing to fully enforce compulsory basic education.
He argued that ongoing policy hesitation is driving rising truancy and school dropouts, particularly in northern Ghana.
A census conducted across 20 districts in the northern region revealed alarming levels of absenteeism, despite the existence of basic school infrastructure in many communities.
According to Eduwatch, the findings suggest that weak enforcement of existing laws, rather than a lack of policy, is the main issue.
Referencing Article 38(2) of the 1992 Constitution, which guarantees Free Compulsory Basic Education (FCUBE), Mr Asare expressed concern over Ghana’s reluctance to implement the compulsory aspect of the policy.
“Article 38(2) provides for free and compulsory basic education, but the challenge has always been the argument that enforcement should wait until infrastructural and resource gaps are fully addressed. The discussion in political corridors has focused on how to declare education compulsory when schools are inadequate. But the truth is, no country has perfect educational infrastructure — implementation must start somewhere,” he said.
Eduwatch is urging Parliament to take decisive action to operationalise compulsory basic education, warning that continued inaction could hinder child development, widen inequality, and undermine Ghana’s long-term human capital growth.
