The President of Ghana Athletics, Bawa Fuseini, has expressed strong support for the Minister of Sports and Recreation Designate, Kofi Adams, as he unveils plans to allocate part of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) to the development of sports at the educational level.
Fuseini believes the move could be a “game changer” for Ghanaian sports.
Kofi Adams, in an interview, shared his intention to collaborate with the Minister for Education to reintroduce school sports, with the Sports Ministry taking on the responsibility of managing these programs while the Ghana Education Service (GES) continues to handle Physical Education as part of the curriculum. The Minister also proposed using a portion of the GETFund to establish a dedicated sports fund to support these initiatives.
Reacting to Adams’ proposal, Fuseini emphasized the feasibility of the initiative, provided the government prioritizes it. “If the government really wants to do that, they have the leverage to advocate for funding to make school sports a part of their program,” he stated. “If they’re able to do that, it will be a game changer for the next few years.”
Fuseini also underscored the vital role school sports play in developing national athletes, urging the government to make the initiative an annual event for both basic and secondary schools. He noted that nearly all of Ghana’s national athletes emerge from the school system, making it critical to sustain and strengthen school-level sporting activities. “Without school sports, I’m not sure how other sporting associations and federations, apart from football, will survive,” he said.
The GETFund, established by the Ghana Education Trust Fund Act of 2000, is primarily dedicated to financing educational projects and providing support to public institutions under the Ministry of Education. It is funded through a 2.5% share of the country’s value-added tax (VAT) and aims to develop and maintain academic facilities across Ghana.
Fuseini’s backing of this initiative highlights the potential benefits of a more structured and supported approach to sports development within the educational system, which could lead to a brighter future for Ghanaian athletics.
