Ghana’s socio-economic growth can only be propelled by educated minds - Experts

Discussants at a students’ engagement forum in Kumasi have stressed the need for Ghana to ensure that it brings educational development to appreciable standards.

An educational system that enhances inclusiveness, sustainability, resilience, skills acquisition, and innovativeness, they argued, was non-negotiable if the country could achieve accelerated socio-economic growth.

“No country has ever developed on the back of an ignorant citizenry,” Mr Yaw Osafo-Maafo, Ghana’s Senior Minister, remarked, stressing that “we can only be competitive amongst the comity of nations if we have trained minds.”

According to the Senior Minister, the country’s wealth was dependent on its human capital, and as such the government would not compromise on its educational responsibilities.

He said the Nana Akufo-Add-led Administration had over the last three years been instrumental in taking bold initiatives to expand the base of second-cycle, technical and vocational education and training (TVET).

He cited implementation of the Free Senior High School (FSHS) Programme as well as harmonisation and standardization of TVET.

Additionally, a lot of investment had been made in improving educational infrastructure across the country, to boost quality educational delivery.

Mr Osafo-Maafo said the objective was to harness the skills and potential of the youth for productive lives for the benefit of society.

The Senior Minister added that the government was also investing massively in literacy programmes relating to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

The aim, he explained, was to develop the creative and innovative skills inherent in the Ghanaian youth to enable them to contribute positively to the nation’s development agenda.

“Education at the Heart of Attaining ‘Ghana Beyond Aid’ - Taking Stock of our Progress, Looking into the Future”, was the theme for the forum.

It was held at the Great Hall, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), under the auspices of the Ghana Beyond Aid Committee in collaboration with the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS).

Deputy Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, in his contribution, justified the government’s decision to implement the double-track system at the SHS level.

The overall agenda, he explained, was to create access for more youth to be educated, thereby, creating a knowledgeable society.

Building a prosperous country, he noted, hinged on a vibrant human resource base, consequently, the Ministry would continue to implement policies intended to help empower the people.

Administrator of the Ghana Education Trust (GET) Fund, Dr Richard Boadu, said the Trust had made significant progress in the provision of the needed infrastructure to bolster quality educational delivery at all levels.