In a landmark move for inclusive education, President John Dramani Mahama has announced a significant increase in the daily feeding grant for students in public special schools across Ghana. Delivering his 2026 State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Friday, February 27, the President revealed that the grant has been raised from GH¢8.00 to GH¢15.00 per day. This nearly 100% increment is specifically designed to address the unique nutritional and health requirements of learners with disabilities, ensuring they receive the necessary support to thrive in an academic environment.
The President emphasized that this intervention is not an isolated gesture but a core component of a broader legislative and financial overhaul aimed at protecting the most vulnerable students. He disclosed that the GETFund Act has been successfully amended to establish a dedicated and sustainable funding framework. This new framework will officially trigger the implementation of free education for all learners with special needs starting in the 2026 academic year. "This significant increment reflects our resolve to address the unique nutritional and health needs of learners with disabilities," the President stated to a buzzing Parliament.
Beyond feeding grants, the 2026 SONA outlined a comprehensive roadmap for disability-inclusive infrastructure and support. The government has committed to constructing a modern, state-of-the-art special needs school in Ho, Volta Region, while simultaneously rehabilitating and upgrading existing facilities in Akropong and Akuapem. Furthermore, the President confirmed that the policy for free tertiary education for persons with disabilities—which was launched in 2025—is now fully operational, benefiting eligible students in universities and colleges nationwide.
The address also touched on broader educational equity, highlighting the success of the "No-Fee-Stress" Initiative. According to the President, the program has already supported over 152,000 first-year public university students, with projections suggesting that up to 220,000 students will benefit in the 2026 academic year. In a move that drew cheers from the legal community, President Mahama also announced that law students are now officially eligible to apply for the student loan scheme, removing a long-standing financial barrier to legal education in Ghana.
To support female students and reduce absenteeism, the government has allocated GH¢292.4 million in the 2026 budget to sustain the distribution of free sanitary pads. This follows the successful distribution of 12.2 million packets to girls in public schools throughout 2025. With these combined measures—ranging from nearly doubled feeding grants to the expansion of student loans—the 2026 SONA has been hailed by education advocates as the most robust social protection package for Ghanaian students in recent history.
