Senior Minister Yaw Osafo-Maafo speaking at the event
The Senior Minister, Yaw Osafo-Maafo, says the importance of education in achieving a Ghana Beyond Aid cannot be over emphasised.
Addressing a students’ engagement forum on the vision of Ghana Beyond Aid at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi yesterday, the Senior Minister noted that education is a very important tool in achieving socio-economic mobility and building a country that is capable of providing it needs.
“No country has ever developed on the back of ignorant citizens. Education is the foundation of nation building, advancement of civilisation and the surest way to ensure upward socio-economic mobility to create shared prosperity and inclusive society. Ghana has resolved to pursue the vision of Ghana Beyond Aid by maximising our resources. Our most important resource for national development is our human resource.
“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 stated.
He said government would continue to develop plans and policies which reflect the aspirations of the youth and students so as to acquire skills and secure a future that is full of hope and prosperity.
The forum was organised under the theme ‘Education at the heart of attaining Ghana Beyond Aid –taking stock of our progress, looking into the future.’
Getting youth involved
The President of the National Union of Ghana Students, Isaac Jay Hyde, lauded the Ghana Beyond Aid agenda, saying it is in synch with the global call for sustainable development, which calls for active participation of young people 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 is capable of fending for itself.
The Secretary of the Ghana Beyond Aid Committee, Dr Eric Yeboah, presenting the overview of the agenda, said Ghana Beyond Aid is a proactive call on Ghanaians, irrespective of party affiliations, to bring all hands on deck and build a robust Ghana that is capable of creating opportunities for young people.
Initiatives
A Deputy Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, who spoke on the topic ‘Post Covid-19 and the future of education – envisioning a new paradigm for developing globally competitive youth’, touched on a wide range of initiatives the government has implemented in the education sector to help realise the Ghana Beyond Aid agenda.
According to him, education is a very important tool that can be used to equip and harness the potential of the youth in the country.
He said at the back of the full implementation of the Free Senior High School policy, the government plans on making education even more accessible by removing barriers to accessing education at all levels. He said the 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.
The Executive Director of the Council for Technical and Vocational Education (COTVET), Dr Fred Asamoah, expressed optimism of a Ghana beyond foreign aid. He said employees are beginning to tap into the skills set of students who graduate from technical and vocational institutions.
He said this is because in the last four years, there have been a considerable amount of investment in technical and vocational institutions by the government, which has made them attractive. He described TVET education as critical in achieving the Ghana Beyond Aid agenda initiative.
About The Author
