President John Dramani Mahama has unveiled a comprehensive plan to transform the country’s education sector, focusing on upgrading secondary schools, technical and vocational training, and higher education institutions.
According to his vision, 30 Category C secondary schools will be upgraded to Category B, while 10 Category B schools will be elevated to Category A, entailing enhanced facilities and expanded infrastructure in the latter.
Presenting the State of the Nation address to Parliament, he highlighted the construction of new regional Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) centres of excellence, designed to provide youth with industry-specific skills, as well as a review of the national curriculum to align with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) future of education framework.
Furthermore, two new public universities are slated to be established in the Bono East and Oti regions through international partnerships, while a third university will be set up in the Savannah region, courtesy of a grant from China.
These initiatives are geared towards increasing access to quality education, enhancing youth employability, and mitigating unemployment.
Additionally, the president disclosed plans to establish three new technical universities aimed at fostering skills development and supporting national industrialisation efforts. In a bid to address youth unemployment and bridge the skills gap in Ghana, these measures are deemed crucial.
In a related development, the government plans to construct 50,000 housing units for teachers through a collaborative effort involving district assemblies, the Common Fund, and other stakeholders.
Dubbed the ‘Teacher Dabrɛ Initiative’ or ‘Teacher Housing Initiative’, this programme seeks to enhance teachers’ living conditions, boost retention rates, and ensure they can work and retire with dignity, particularly in rural areas.
