Government has earmarked $43.1 billion or 17.2% of the proposed 2017 national budget for the education sector, where it hopes to provide “quality education across all levels.”
“Government recognizes that the problems which beset the sector must be tackled at the core, beginning from early childhood through to university and beyond,” Minister of Finance Winston Jordan said when he presented the proposed budget to the National Assembly yesterday.
The proposed allocation is $3 billion more than that which was allocated in the 2016 budget, which was heavily focused on improving the quality of education in the hinterland. It also continues a trend of increasing allocations under this administration as $31.8 billion was allocated in 2015, and $32.3B in 2014 under the previous administration.