Neoliberalism, education financing and development in Africa: The politics, synergism and contradictions in the Ghanaian perspective

Abstract

The paper examines the sustainability of the new education policy in the light of the drifted neoliberal policies around the world. The researchers adopted a mixed method (MM) approach with the parallel mixed designs type to inquiry. The sampling approach is purposive sampling technique. The sample targeted 10 heads of senior high school, 50 teachers and 100 students in 10 deprived senior high schools across northern Ghana. More specifically, the study covered four thematic areas. It emerged that the free pre-tertiary education policy was implemented contra mundum by government; even though, the policy in principle has support from all spectrum of life. There has been a spillover effect and other contraindications of the policy in terms of funding, materials, manpower and infrastructure. Government and stakeholders in education need to find indigenous or domestic sources of funding the policy, since its benefits in the long run will outweigh its pitfalls.