Pro-NPP group ‘Fixing the Country Ghana’ has described Ghana’s educational transformation as unmatched considering the gains under the leadership of President Akufo-Addo since assumption of power in 2016.
Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Monday, the leader of the group, Hopeson Adorye said since assumption of office by President Akufo-Addo, various sectors of education have witnessed remarkable progress in both senior high schools and in the tertiary front.
He said, “Over four years of the President’s first term, the ministry of education was blazing the trail with the implementation of the free SHS policy that Akufo-Addo initiated as an engine of national transformation.”
According to him, the NPP government did not only provide accommodation for the growing number of students who were enrolled in the Free SHS programme, but also added other facilities that enhanced teaching and learning.
“Access to roads to the inadequate schools that were built by John Mahama in isolated areas and inaccessible bushes were constructed and the buildings brought back to human decency. The schools were fitted with science labs and ICT facilities with majority enjoying this massive boost,” he added.
He noted that after several years of stigmatisation and negative perception that were associated with Technical Vocational Education in Ghana, the Minister of Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adu-Twum with the support of President Akufo-Addo has boosted the standards of TVET education with some latest equipment and learning materials to the admiration of some African countries.
“We can talk about Takoradi Technical University, installed with petro-chemical and hydraulic teaching systems, Kumasi Technical University, installed with mechatronics teaching systems, Koforidua Technical University which has been supplied with mechanical, electrical and auto engineering systems, and the rest of the technical universities have all received some form of facelift amongst others,” he pointed out.
He further indicated that President Akufo-Addo cognisant of the importance of TVET education to the development of the country has also given clearance to the Ministry of Education to build 32 TVET centres to support some rural poor and young women who may not be able to benefit from STEM education.
He also highlighted some free SHS STEM facilities such as Abomoso SHS, Kpasemkpe in the Northern Region, and Bosomtwe Girls STEM Academy in the Ashanti Region.
The rest are Sefwi Awaso SHS, Deduako in the Ashanti Region and Jachie Pramso, with the implementation of a road map that would house an average of 3,000 students each.
Other leading members of the group who took turns to address the press included Fadi Dabbousi and Kofi Twum Boafo.
By Ebenezer K. Amponsah