EDUCATION CRITICAL IN ACHIEVING GHANA BEYOND AID
The Senior Minister, Mr. Yaw Osafo Maafo yesterday said that education plays an integral role in governments much touted Ghana Beyond Aid agenda.
Addressing student’s engagement forum on the vision of Ghana Beyond Aid at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi.
The Senior Minister noted that education was a very important tool in achieving socio-economic mobility and building a country that was capable of providing its needs.
‘’No country has ever developed on the back of ignorant citizens. Education is the foundation of nation building, advancement of civilization and the surest way to ensure upward socio-economic mobility to create shared prosperity and inclusive society. As you listen to various resources and investments, it is obvious that this government has prioritised the need to develop the human resource base of the development of this country and there is no turning back. No cost is too high to develop the younger generation to become a globally competitive workforce,’’ he added.
He said government would continue to develop plans and policies which reflect he aspirants of the youth and students so as to acquire skills and secure a future that was full of hope and prosperity.
The forum which was organized under the theme ‘’Education at the heart of attaining Ghana Beyond Aid – taking stock of our progress, looking into the future’’ brought together key stakeholders within the education sector to deliberate on how the country can achieve self-sufficiency through education.
Ghana has resolved to pursue the vision of Ghana Beyond Aid by maximising our resources. Our most important resource for the national development is the human resource.
In an address, President of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS), Mr Isaac Jay Hyde, commended the Ghana Beyond Aid agenda, saying it was in sync with the global call for sustainable development which calls for active participation of young people in sustainable development which calls for active participation of young people in sustainable development at all levels.
He charged students to take centre stage in the socio-economic development of the country and contribute their quota in building a country that was capable of fending for itself.
The Secretary of the Ghana Beyond Aid Committee, Dr Eric Yeboah presenting the overview of the agenda said the Ghana Beyond Aid was a proactive call on Ghanaians irrespective of party affiliation to bring all hands-on deck to build a robust Ghana that was capable of creating opportunities for young people.
Panellists at the forum highlighted the need for the country to use education as an opportunity for the deeper introspection on how to build a resilient Ghana to wean itself off foreign aid.
The panellists included the Deputy Minister for Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, the Executive Director of the Council for Technical and Vocational Education (COTVET) Dr Fred Asamoah, the Administrator of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFUND), Mr Richard Boadu, President of the Greater Accra Regional Students Representative Council (GARSRC), Miss Sandra Boateng.
The Deputy Minister for Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum who spoke on the topic ‘’Post COVID-19 and the future of education – Envisioning a new paradigm for the developing globally competitive youth’’ touched on a wide range of initiatives that government had implemented in the education sector to realise the Ghana Beyond Aid Agenda. According to him, education was a very important tool that could be used to equip and harness the potential of the youth in the country.
He said at the back of the full implantation of the Free Senior High School policy, government plans on making education even more accessible by removing barriers to accessing education at all levels noting that government is working to make sure students at the tertiary levels noting that government is working to make sure students at the tertiary level can access funds through the Students Loan Trust Fund by using their national identification cards.
On his part, Dr Asamoah expressed optimism of a Ghana beyond Foreign aid because employees were beginning to tap into the skills set of students who graduate from technical and vocational institutions. He said that was because in the last four years, there had been a considerable amount of investment in technical and vocational institutions by government which had made them He described TVET education as critical in achieving the Ghana Beyond Aid agenda initiative.
At his turn, Mr Boadu described how his outfit had streamlined its operations to ensure value for money in the construction of educational facilities noting the value for money, leveraging on technology and expanding the educational infrastructure of the country to accommodate the growing population of students and teachers were key factors for such an agenda to Underscoring how the afore mentioned government interventions had translated into the lives of students, Miss Boateng said policies like the Free SHS was helpful to invest in students and commended government for putting education at the heart of national development because education was an important growth pole for national development.
Source: Daily Graphic
