President Nana Akufo-Addo has inaugurated the newly built Silver Jubilee Building at the University for Development Studies (UDS) Nyankpala campus in the Northern Region.

President Akufo-Addo promised to build the Silver Jubilee Building on the UDS Nyankpala campus for his birthday.

The three-story building complex, built by Builders Company Limited, seeks to provide lecture rooms and offices on the Nyankpala campus to facilitate teaching and learning.

At the Silver Jubilee Building’s commissioning ceremony at the UDS Nyankpala campus, President Akufo-Addo stated that the facility will contribute to the much-needed space for efficient teaching and learning, allowing faculty members to flourish in their professional and research endeavors and students to thrive academically.

“Let us keep making investments in education at all levels to make sure that every child in Ghana, regardless of background or circumstance, has access to high-quality education and the chance to realize their full potential,” he said.

He claimed that because education is the most effective means of transforming a country, the government has focused a great deal of effort and funding on this field.

“The significant financial allotments over the time, amounting to around GH¢12.8 billion, indicate the government’s collective resolve to guarantee that education serves as a driving force behind our country’s transformation.

We think that the foundation of a healthy democracy, a strong economy, and a decent society is an educated populace. We have therefore put laws into place to increase access to education at all levels.

The no guarantor policy is one such measure that has facilitated better access to postsecondary education in Ghana.

President Akufo-Addo stated, “This policy has removed the financial barriers that have

historically prevented many brilliant students from pursuing higher education.”

He claims that the government has given numerous young Ghanaians the opportunity to further their education by doing away with the requirement for a guarantor in order to acquire student loans.

Due to this, the number of students pursuing postsecondary education has significantly increased, rising from 443,978 in the 2016–2017 academic year to 711,695 in the 2020–2023 academic year, or a 60.3 percent rise.

“The government has responded to this growth by deciding to build four new institutions and upgrade the facilities at the current ones: Mampong in the Ashanti Region; Akrodie in the Ahafo Region; Bunso in the Eastern Region; and Kintampo in the Bono East Region,” he confirmed.

According to President Akufo-Addo, the government is working to improve the 40 percent gross tertiary enrolment ratio by 2030, from the current 18.84 percent, and the 60:40 science to humanities ratio, from the current 40:60, as stated in the Education Strategic Plan 2018–2030.

“It is important for us to note that, although our goal for the gross tertiary enrolment ratio is high, the World Bank reports that Korea has an analogous ratio of 103 percent.

“My government has given research and book allowances to universities a lot of weight because it understands how important educators and researchers are to the growth of the country,” he said.

In order to guarantee that their research and teaching are in line with societal needs and directly contribute to the achievement of the country’s development goals, he made an appeal to all Ghanaian universities to fortify their relationships with business, government, and the communities they serve.

“This structure serves as a representation of our group’s commitment to advancement, development, and education. It serves as a reminder of what is possible when we collaborate to accomplish a common objective. Once again, thank you for the warm welcome. I’m sure we can work together to improve Ghana,” said President Akufo-Addo.

BY: APPIANIMAA MERCY