Akufo-Addo is not ‘anti-tertiary education’ - Education Minister

Minister for Education, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh says the President of the nation is not against tertiary education as Ghanaians have been made to believe.

Speaking at the 10th anniversary of the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement, the minister explained the present administration “seriously believes that there is no distinction or choice between primary education and tertiary education, all are equally important”.

He said one of the first jobs the president entrusted to him as minister for education was to “promote centres of excellence in Ghana and in Africa”.

He stated that “we intend funding faculty development through getFund… We are in talks with the national council of tertiary education to fund faculty development in tertiary institutions. This is not a government against tertiary education”.

He added that the president has a point when he says “our universities are not bringing out graduates that are equally suited for the employment”. This is because institutions such as the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) are complaining that “our graduates are not fit for employment.”

He said the president meant that university education must prepare students for the world of work.

Opening the 14th Association of African Universities (AAU) General Conference in Accra earlier this week, President Akufo-Addo said although the number of universities on the continent kept expanding, there were still deficits in the number of skilled labour forces produced to meet the demand of the job market.

This statement has not been received well by some Ghanaians.