Education partnerships must go beyond support to collaboration – Dr. Apaak to Italian partners

The Deputy Minister for Education, Dr. Clement Abas Apaak, has urged Ghana’s development partners to move beyond providing support and embrace active collaboration to strengthen the country’s education sector.

He said partnerships with international agencies should be built on shared priorities, joint initiatives and a commitment to delivering tangible results for young people.

Speaking at the inauguration of the new office of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) in Accra on Friday, October 9, Dr. Apaak said the Ministry of Education was ready to work closely with Italy to advance education and skills development.

“I would encourage AICS and all our Italian partners to see the Ministry of Education as a willing and active collaborator in that effort, not merely a recipient of support,” he said.

He stressed that the Ministry was open to engaging its Italian partners on new ideas, existing programmes and areas where their expertise could complement Ghana’s education priorities.

“To that end, I want to state clearly that the Ministry of Education operates an open-door policy. AICS, the Embassy of Italy and all Italian partners are welcome at the Ministry at any time, to discuss new ideas, deepen existing programmes, or explore where our priorities and your expertise can meet,” he added.

Dr. Apaak said stronger cooperation between Ghana and Italy could create opportunities across technical and vocational education and training (TVET), higher education, research and innovation.

He cited initiatives such as RISE-G, INSPIRE and SEE as examples of the collaboration between the two countries, noting that they were helping to strengthen Ghana’s TVET sector, build the capacity of instructors and expand opportunities for young people.

The Deputy Minister also called for stronger partnerships between Ghanaian and Italian universities to promote research, innovation and knowledge exchange, as well as closer links between education and the labour market.

He said Ghana’s development depended on equipping young people with the skills needed to succeed in a rapidly changing economy.

“The opening of this office is more than a new address in Accra. It reflects the strength of the partnership between Ghana and Italy, and our shared commitment to deepening cooperation for sustainable development,” he said.

The inauguration of the AICS office provides an opportunity for Ghana and Italy to deepen their development cooperation, particularly in education and skills development.

Dr. Apaak congratulated AICS on the opening of its office and expressed the Ministry’s commitment to working with the agency, the Italian Embassy and other partners to ensure that their collaboration delivers concrete results for Ghanaian youth.