Leverage institutional strength in addressing unemployment — Education Minister
THE Minister of Education, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, has urged the newly constituted Governing Council of the Accra Technical University (ATU) to leverage the institution’s strength in technical and vocational training to address the country’s growing unemployment crisis.
According to the Minister, aligning technical education with the demands of the job market, the university can play a vital role in reducing youth unemployment and supporting national development efforts.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony held on Tuesday in Accra, the Minister highlighted the urgent need for the Council to address a two-year leadership vacuum at ATU, noting that the lack of a substantive Vice-Chancellor has negatively impacted institutional management.
“I’m aware the university has been without a Vice-Chancellor for the past two years. This is a major governance gap that your Council must act on as a matter of priority,” he emphasised.
He underscored the pivotal role of technical universities in national development, particularly in equipping the youth with practical skills that enhance employability.
Mr Haruna cited the university’s academic expansion—including 12 masters and 24 Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC) -accredited programmes—as a foundation for further growth.
“The answer to Ghana’s unemployment lies in strengthening technical and vocational training. We must change the narrative and stop seeing technical education as a path only for the less academically inclined,” he stated.
Adding to it, the Minister pointed out to longstanding infrastructure challenges, including uncompleted projects dating back as far as 2012, such as the university’s administration block, which is 85 per cent complete.
He, however, assured the Council of government’s support in completing these legacy projects, emphasising the constitutional requirement for successive governments to continue ongoing developments.
In his response, the chairman of the council, Prof. Ernest Kofi Abotsi, expressed gratitude to the Minister for the trust reposed in the team and pledged to deliver on the mandate given.
“You hit the nail on the head regarding the leadership gap at the university. We are committed to addressing this urgently but within proper procedures to ensure stability and avoid future agitations,” he noted.
Prof. Abotsi echoed the Minister’s call for rebranding technical education and committed to repositioning ATU as a hub for skill-based training that directly responds to the country’s labour market demands.
“In a world where the majority of the top global companies today did not exist 25 years ago—and are tech-driven—the opportunity for ATU to contribute to national development is immense,” Prof Abotsi underlined.
He concluded with a promise that the Council would work diligently to deliver results and return with a positive report at the end of its tenure.
BY CLIFF EKUFUL
