The 5-day National Education Week (NEW) 2024 organised by the Ministry of Education (MoE) has begun in Accra.
The celebration which kicked off yesterday and will end on Friday, November 22 is on the theme: “The Education Transformation Agenda; Evidence for 2017”.
The annual event which will be climaxed with an exhibition of education policies and works aims to reflect on both output and outcome of the on-going transformation agenda of the ministry.
It also aims to assess the successes of the all the flagship programmes being rolled out in the education sector since 2017 and its impact on national development.
The Chief of Staff, Mrs Frema Osei-Opare, speaking on behalf of the Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, said the event offered a vital platform to assess the progress made in education, share innovative ideas, and reaffirm the ministry’s collective vision for country’s educational future.
She noted that since 2017, the government has committed itself to enhancing human capital through strategic investments at all levels of education.
Highlighting the ministry’s key achievements, she stated that launching of the Free Senior High School programme in 2017, has removed financial barriers for countless Ghanaians, expanded infrastructure, and improved the quality of secondary education.
This, Mr Osei-Opare said has increased secondary school enrollment figures and brought impressive academic results.
“To accommodate the growing demand for secondary education, emergency infrastructure expansions have been undertaken, including new classrooms, dormitories, and dining halls.
“This progress is complemented by the introduction of the no-guarantor student loan scheme, which allows access to loans using only the Ghana Card,” she asserted.
Recognising the importance of skills in a rapidly changing global economy, Mrs Osei-Opare said government has prioritised Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and Technical and Vocational Education and Training education (TVET).
She said the establishment of the Ghana TVET Service in 2022 consolidated TVET institutions under the MoE aligning with the country’s industrialisation agenda to foster job creation and economic growth.
“Education is about more than academic achievement; it is about fostering curiosity, critical thinking, and a lifelong desire to learn. To achieve this, collaboration across government, educational institutions, and industry is essential. By bridging the gap between theory and practical application, we can ensure that our graduates are prepared to meet real-world challenges,” Mrs Osei-Opare stated.
The Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, said the NEW has over the years offered the ministry a great opportunity to strengthen stakeholder engagements in the assessment and provision of feedback on the performance of the education sector in the implementation of policies, programmes and projects.
He reiterated that the MoE’s collective responses must sustainably address the key issues of the education sector and define choices for future generations.
“It is time to move urgently towards the opportunities and solutions that will help us produce the 21st-century learner equipped with the right skills mix to drive the government’s socio-economic transformation,” the minister said.
BY CECILIA LAGBA YADA
