Technical universities have been instructed by President John Dramani Mahama to modify their curricula in order to promote the government’s goal of advancing STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education in Ghana.
The President promised to give GHS10 million to each of the ten public technical universities in the 2027 budget while speaking at the 4th Biennial Applied Research Conference of Technical Universities on Tuesday in Takoradi.
In order to achieve the goals established when polytechnics were transformed into universities 10 years ago, these monies are meant to be used for infrastructure expansion, equipment purchases, and laboratory investments.
According to the President, these institutions need to position themselves as the backbone of Ghana’s knowledge-based economy, emphasising industrial cooperation, practical skills, and lowering youth unemployment.
“You must focus on hands-on, competence-based technical and vocational training aligned with the German model,” he emphasised.
Additionally, President Mahama declared that two more technical universities will be established: one at Techiman in the Bono East Region and one at Jasikan in the Oti Region.
The President stated that a new University of Science and Technology would be built in the Savannah Region to match this growth.
The goal of this action is to expand access to higher education, especially in the country’s northern region.
To promote science-based education across the country, the government will also create a TVET Fund.
“The new universities will be the bridge between the world of science and industry. They will forge a symbiotic relationship with industry by utilising industrial resources for innovation and technological advancement,” the President said.
He pointed out that by creating graduates with useful, industry-relevant skills, technical universities play a crucial role in addressing youth unemployment.
The objective, he emphasised, is to change the national paradigm from creating job seekers to creating job creators.
The President also emphasised earlier expenditures on cutting-edge technology for engineering courses at the Takoradi and Kumasi campuses.
At a cost of $5 million, each university had six labs that covered topics like electronics, advanced manufacturing, solar, and wind technology.
Source: newsthemegh.com