Dr. Clement Apaak, Deputy Minister of Education
A Deputy Minister of Education, Dr. Clement Apaak, has touted Ghana’s transformative education sector reforms at the ongoing Innovation Africa 2025 ministerial summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He emphasised the country’s commitment to improving teaching and learning outcomes.
The summit, which opened yesterday, has drawn ministers of education, information and communications technology (ICT), and skills development from across the continent, alongside global development partners and private sector actors. The three-day event, themed “Educate and Skill Africa for the 21st Century,” aims to foster dialogue, partnerships, and innovation in Africa’s education and technology sectors.
Ongoing reforms
Participating in a panel discussion on “Ensuring the Professional Development of Quality Teachers to Deliver Curriculum Reform in Africa,” Dr. Apaak shared insights into Ghana’s ongoing reforms to enhance teacher quality and instructional delivery.
He mentioned teacher licensing as a significant pillar of the reforms, noting that in Ghana, educators were required to earn professional development points through continuous learning programmes in order to renew their licenses. According to him, this ensures that teachers remain current, reflective, and responsive to the evolving needs of the classroom.
He also noted that Colleges of Education in Ghana had been upgraded to run Bachelor’s degree programmes in Education. This shift, he explained, was aimed at strengthening reflective practice among teacher trainees while integrating digital pedagogy into their training.
He further touched on the introduction of the teacher licensure examination, which he said “is designed to promote lifelong learning and professional growth throughout a teacher’s career”.
In addition, he referenced the establishment of the National Teaching Council and its pivotal role in regulating teacher standards and professional development.
Teacher redistribution
To address the challenge of equitable teacher distribution, Dr. Apaak highlighted the government’s Teacher Deployment and Retention Programme, which incentivizes teachers to accept postings in remote and underserved communities.
“Incentives and support systems are in place to encourage teachers to work in underserved areas, including allowances, accommodation, and targeted mentorship,” he stated.
On the broader continental agenda, Dr. Apaak reaffirmed Ghana’s support for inter-country collaboration in teacher training and knowledge exchange. He lauded the African Union’s Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA), particularly the Teacher Development Cluster, as a valuable platform for shared growth and innovation.
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