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President
Nana
Addo
Dankwa
Akufo-Addo
has
highlighted
the
strides
his
administration
has
made
in
the
education
sector.
Since
assuming
office
in
2017,
the
President
said
he
has
prioritized
education
as
a
cornerstone
of
his
government’s
agenda,
implementing
policies
and
programs
aimed
at
transforming
the
educational
landscape
of
Ghana.
One
of
the
most
notable
achievements
of
President
Akufo-Addo’s
administration
is
the
Free
Senior
High
School
(Free
SHS)
policy,
launched
in
2017,
he
said.
This
bold
initiative
was
aimed
to
remove
financial
barriers
that
previously
prevented
many
young
Ghanaians
from
continuing
their
education
beyond
junior
high
school,
the
president
said
when
he
received
his
fifth
honorary
doctorate
degree
from
Valley
View
University
on
Sunday,
14th
July
2024.
“Education
has
been
a
cornerstone
of
my
administration’s
agenda,”
the
President
emphasized.
The
Free
SHS
policy
has
enabled
over
five
million
Ghanaian
children
to
pursue
secondary
education,
with
a
record
high
enrolment
of
503,000
students
this
year,
marking
the
highest
enrolment
in
a
single
year
in
the
nation’s
history.
The
President
highlighted
the
substantial
budgetary
allocations
made
to
the
education
sector,
totaling
GH¢12.88
billion.
These
funds
have
been
used
to
improve
infrastructure,
provide
teaching
and
learning
materials,
and
support
various
educational
programs
that
enhance
the
quality
of
education
at
all
levels.
“Our
attachment
to
education
is
further
reflected
in
the
unprecedented
budgetary
allocations
we
have
made
to
the
sector,”
he
stated,
underscoring
his
government’s
commitment
to
making
education
a
catalyst
for
national
transformation.
President
Akufo-Addo
also
outlined
various
interventions
aimed
at
improving
the
quality
of
education.
These
include
teacher
training
programs,
curriculum
reforms,
and
the
introduction
of
digital
tools
and
resources
to
enhance
teaching
and
learning.
By
investing
in
the
professional
development
of
educators
and
modernizing
the
educational
system,
the
government
aims
to
lay
a
strong
foundation
for
the
future
of
the
nation.
“We
have
launched
several
interventions
aimed
at
improving
the
quality
of
education
and
ensuring
that
every
child
receives
a
holistic
and
well-rounded
education,”
the
President
said.
In
addition
to
the
Free
SHS
policy,
the
President
highlighted
efforts
to
support
tertiary
education.
The
“No
Guarantor”
policy
under
the
Student
Loan
Trust
Fund
has
significantly
increased
access
to
higher
education
by
eliminating
the
requirement
for
a
guarantor.
This
policy
has
empowered
students
from
economically
disadvantaged
backgrounds
to
pursue
their
educational
aspirations
without
undue
financial
burden.
The
number
of
students
seeking
tertiary
education
has
risen
from
443,978
in
the
2016/2017
academic
year
to
711,695
in
the
2022/2023
academic
year.
To
accommodate
the
growing
number
of
tertiary
students,
the
government
has
decided
to
establish
four
new
universities
in
Mampong,
Akrodie,
Bunso,
and
Kintampo,
and
expand
facilities
in
existing
ones.
These
initiatives
are
part
of
the
government’s
strategy
to
achieve
a
40%
Gross
Tertiary
Enrolment
Ratio
by
2030,
up
from
the
current
18.84%.
“The
educational
reforms
carried
out
by
the
Akufo-Addo
Government
have
also
encompassed
tertiary
education,
materially
advancing
access,
infrastructure
development,
and
STEM
initiatives
across
the
country,”
the
President
noted.
Furthermore,
the
government
has
placed
immense
importance
on
the
payment
of
research
and
book
allowances
to
academia.
Since
2020,
the
government
has
disbursed
GH¢226
million
as
research
allowance
and
GH¢491
million
as
book
allowance.
These
investments
aim
to
stimulate
an
environment
conducive
to
scholarly
investigation
and
innovation,
enriching
the
quality
of
education
and
elevating
research
excellence
in
Ghana.
“Nothing
would
give
me
more
honor
or
more
pleasure
than
if,
one
day,
Ghana’s
historians
were
to
describe
me
as
the
Education
President,”
President
Akufo-Addo
declared.
In
conclusion,
President
Akufo-Addo
reaffirmed
his
commitment
to
making
education
a
cornerstone
of
national
development.
He
emphasized
that
the
substantial
investments
in
education
and
the
various
initiatives
implemented
by
his
administration
are
aimed
at
transforming
Ghana
into
a
knowledge-driven
economy.
The
President’s
speech
at
Valley
View
University
highlighted
the
significant
progress
made
in
the
education
sector
and
the
unwavering
commitment
to
providing
quality
education
for
all
Ghanaians.