Free special education is just the start: Ghana must support families bearing the real cost of disability

Ghana's recent announcement of free special education for children with special needs marks a historic milestone—the first time the government has formally committed to sustained, structured support for learners with disabilities. The policy, which covers tuition, accommodation and assistive devices through tertiary level, has been widely celebrated as a progressive step. But disability rights advocates are urging the nation to look beyond school fees and address the deeper financial strain crushing families who care for children with significant disabilities.

The real burden on Ghanaian families caring for children with disabilities extends far beyond tuition. A child with autism may require ongoing speech therapy, occupational therapy and specialised teaching materials. A child with cerebral palsy needs physiotherapy, mobility aids and adapted transport. Children with Down syndrome or severe intellectual disabilities often require individualised educational support and continuous caregiver supervision throughout their lives. These costs—therapy sessions, medication, specialist transport, home adaptations, respite care—are not covered by education policies and drain household budgets already stretched thin.

The hidden cost of caregiving

For many Ghanaian families, the financial sacrifice of raising a child with significant disabilities is extraordinary. In most cases, one parent—usually the mother—must stop working or drastically reduce hours to provide full-time care. Hospital visits, therapy appointments, medication, transport, specialist equipment and home modifications consume resources that ordinary households cannot sustain. Ironically, families carrying the heaviest caregiving burden often qualify for the least support, creating a cycle of poverty and exhaustion that free education alone cannot break.

The District Assembly Common Fund for Persons with Disabilities has been an important lifeline, supporting families through educational assistance and vocational training. However, children with severe intellectual and developmental disabilities—who may never benefit from apprenticeship or business support—receive minimal direct assistance. This gap leaves the most vulnerable families without targeted help.

Learning from international models

Developed nations have long recognised that supporting caregivers directly improves outcomes for disabled children. The United Kingdom provides Disability Living Allowance for eligible children and Carer's Allowance for caregivers. Australia's National Disability Insurance Scheme combines education support with dedicated caregiver payments. Canada and Scandinavian countries offer financial assistance, respite care and home-based support services. The principle underpinning these systems is clear: when caregivers are supported, children thrive.

Why it matters for Ghana

Ghana's Persons with Disability Act 2006 and commitments under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities mandate equal participation and opportunity. Yet true equality means recognising that some children require more support—not because they are less capable, but because their needs are greater. Free education, while vital, is incomplete without tackling the systemic costs families bear.

As government develops its free special education framework, part of the Disability Common Fund should be ring-fenced specifically for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. Support should be based on functional needs rather than diagnosis alone, covering therapy vouchers, transport assistance, respite care services, parent training programmes and targeted caregiver grants for those providing intensive daily care.

Equally urgent is building the professional infrastructure that makes education meaningful. Every region needs adequately trained special educators, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, psychologists, physiotherapists and learning support assistants. Early diagnosis and multidisciplinary assessment centres must be established nationwide to enable timely intervention.

Ghana has taken an important first step with free special education. But the measure of true success is not school enrolment alone—it is improved quality of life for children with disabilities and relief for the families who sacrifice everything to care for them. Inclusive education requires supporting not just learners, but the parents and caregivers who make their education possible.