The government is working to establish four new public universities in different parts of the country as part of efforts to widen access to tertiary education and equip more young people with skills needed for national development.
The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, said the proposed universities would be located in the Oti, Ahafo and Western North regions, as well as Damongo in the Savannah Region.
He said the initiative formed part of President John Dramani Mahama’s commitment to expanding access to education at the basic, secondary and tertiary levels.
Mr Iddrisu made this known at a public engagement during President Mahama’s visit of the Upper East Region this week.
Damongo University
According to the Minister, work was advancing on the establishment of the University of Science and Technology in Damongo, with the design and build arrangements for the institution already concluded.
He said President Mahama had committed US$30 million in grant resources towards the commencement of the project, while efforts were ongoing to mobilise additional funding to support its development.
The university, he said, would form part of the government’s broader strategy to increase the number of public tertiary institutions and provide opportunities for more young people to pursue science, technology and other specialised programmes.
Expanding medical education
Mr Iddrisu also announced plans to expand medical education in the Upper East Region.
He said the government was positioning a university in the region to offer medical education, subject to the necessary accreditation and the mobilisation of additional resources.
He explained that the initiative was part of efforts to “demystify” access to professional education, particularly medicine, in the same way the government had sought to broaden access to legal education.
The Minister said the expansion of tertiary education would enable more young people to acquire professional and technical skills without necessarily having to travel long distances to access specialised programmes.
2,038 education contracts
Mr Iddrisu further disclosed that the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) had awarded 2,038 contracts covering basic, secondary and tertiary education institutions across the country.
He said the projects were aimed at expanding infrastructure and improving access to education as the government sought to realign expenditure towards foundational learning and improved educational outcomes.
At the secondary level, he said the government was committing between US$2.8 billion and US$3 billion under a World Bank-supported programme to expand access to secondary education.
He said 12 schools in the Upper East Region would benefit from the programme.
More investment in schools
The Minister said one secondary school in Bolgatanga would benefit from an expanded, state-of-the-art STEM facility following the signing of a US$42 million financing agreement.
He also announced plans to expand facilities at the Zamse Senior High/Technical School (ZAMSTEC), while assuring students that the government would deal decisively with attempts by private individuals to encroach on school lands.
He said two special-needs education schools would also be constructed in Ho and Sunyani, while work was expected to commence on regional libraries in the Upper East and Volta regions.
Mr Iddrisu added that funding secured from the Italian government would also support the retooling of some universities, including the Bolgatanga Technical University.
Free SHS remains
On the Free Senior High School programme, Mr Iddrisu said the policy had come to stay, but indicated that the government was reviewing its implementation to address infrastructure, feeding and quality assurance challenges.
He said the government’s education agenda was focused not only on expanding access but also on ensuring that students received quality education in adequately resourced institutions.
“Free Senior High School has come to stay,” he said, stressing that the government was expanding infrastructure, providing for feeding and strengthening quality assurance.
Mr Iddrisu urged Ghanaians to support the government’s education agenda, saying the investments being made demonstrated that education remained a priority under President Mahama’s administration.
