President Akufo-Addo has highlighted the substantial progress his administration has made in transforming Ghana’s education sector.
According to him, since taking office in 2017, he has prioritised education as a key pillar of national development, implementing various policies and programs to improve access and quality.
Speaking during an event at the Valley View University, the President emphasized the success of the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy, which was launched in 2017.
This initiative aimed to remove financial barriers that prevented many Ghanaians from continuing their education beyond junior high school.
“Education has been a cornerstone of my administration’s agenda. The Free SHS policy has enabled over five million Ghanaian children to pursue secondary education, with a record-high enrolment of 503,000 students this year, marking the highest enrolment in a single year in the nation’s history,” the President emphasized.
Highlighting the government’s financial commitment to education, President Akufo-Addo noted that GH¢12.88 billion has been allocated to the sector.
These funds have been used to improve infrastructure, provide teaching and learning materials, and support various educational programs.
“Our attachment to education is further reflected in the unprecedented budgetary allocations we have made to the sector,” he stated.
President Akufo-Addo also detailed interventions aimed at improving the quality of education, including teacher training programs, curriculum reforms, and the introduction of digital tools and resources.
“We have launched several interventions aimed at improving the quality of education and ensuring that every child receives a holistic and well-rounded education,” he remarked.
The President also highlighted efforts to support tertiary education.
The “No Guarantor” policy under the Student Loan Trust Fund has significantly increased access to higher education by eliminating the requirement for a guarantor.
This policy has enabled students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds to pursue their educational aspirations without undue financial burden.
The number of students seeking tertiary education has risen from 443,978 in the 2016/2017 academic year to 711,695 in the 2022/2023 academic year.
To accommodate the growing number of tertiary students, the government plans to establish four new universities in Mampong, Akrodie, Bunso, and Kintampo, and expand facilities in existing institutions.
These initiatives are part of the government’s strategy to achieve a 40% Gross Tertiary Enrolment Ratio by 2030, up from 18.84%.
“The educational reforms carried out by the Akufo-Addo Government have also encompassed tertiary education, materially advancing access, infrastructure development, and STEM initiatives across the country,” the President noted.
Furthermore, the government has prioritized the payment of research and book allowances to academia.
Since 2020, GH¢226 million has been disbursed as research allowance and GH¢491 million as book allowance.
These investments aim to foster an environment conducive to scholarly investigation and innovation, enriching the quality of education and elevating research excellence in Ghana.
“Nothing would give me more honour or more pleasure than if, one day, Ghana’s historians were to describe me as the Education President,” he declared.
President Akufo-Addo reaffirmed his commitment to making education a cornerstone of national development.
He emphasized that the substantial investments in education and the various initiatives implemented by his administration are aimed at transforming Ghana into a knowledge-driven economy.
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