The Minister of Education and Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale South, Mr Haruna Idrissu, has called on the government of the Republic of Indonesia to consider the establishment of an Islamic Medical University in northern Ghana.
According to him, such an educational facility would not only bridge the developmental gap between the northern and the southern part of the country but also further deepened the bilateral and educational ties between Ghana and Indonesia.
The Education Minister made the call when the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Indonesia, Mr Paskal A.B. Rois, paid a courtesy call on him in his office in Accra on Friday.
The visit among other things, was to brief the Minister on the available Indonesian scholarship opportunities some of which, a number of Ghanaian students were already benefiting from.
Mr Rois congratulated the Minister on his appointment to lead the Education Ministry, adding that “as an experienced figure, a renowned law maker and a hardworking politician, I am hopeful that Mr Idrissu would use his rich experience, expertise and knowledge from previous portfolios held over the period, to positively impact the educational sector.”
He welcomed the Minister’s suggestion for Indonesia to consider the establishment of an Islamic Medical University in Northern Ghana, assuring that he would take up the issue at the highest level for a positive response from the Indonesian authorities.
Briefing the Minister on the scholarship opportunities in Indonesia, Mr Rois said the government’s KNB Scholarship was currently opened in addition to dozens of other different scholarship opportunities from more than 30 other prestigious universities in Indonesia for students of developing countries including Ghana.
The Indonesia Consul said last year, his outfit held some engagements with the Pro and Vice Chancellors of some tertiary institutions in Ghana including the Ghana Technology University (GTU) in Accra, the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) and the University of Cape Coast (UCC).
According to him, such courtesy calls on him by the Heads of these institutions had opened new chapters in educational relations between these universities in Ghana and Indonesian universities where a Memorandum of Understanding (MOE) would soon be signed for lecturer-to-lecturer, student-to-student and other exchange programmes to commence among and between these tertiary institutions, particularly between the faculties and students in Ghana and Indonesia.
Mr Rois expressed the hope that the Minister would use his good offices as well as skills, knowledge and experience not only to reset the education sector of the country, but also further deepen the educational bond between the two countries through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration.
BY CLIFF EKUFUL
