ADEA 2025: Africa must mobilize resources to augment support from partners – Dr. Apaak

Deputy Minister of Education, Dr. Clement Abas Apaak, has called on African nations to rely more on domestic resources to drive education reforms across the continent.

Speaking at the closing of the 2025 ADEA Triennale in Accra, Dr. Apaak said Africa’s educational progress depends on its ability to design and fund homegrown solutions rather than depending solely on external partners.

“I wish to remind us about Her Excellency the Vice President, Prof Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang’s powerful call to action: the time has come for Africa to rely more on her own resources to solve her problems,” he said.

“While this may sound challenging, I am convinced that with commitment, we can mobilize sufficient domestic resources to significantly augment support from our development partners.”

Dr. Apaak praised the discussions held during the three-day event, noting that they focused on strengthening the resilience of Africa’s education systems and developing Africa-based strategies to end learning poverty by 2035.

He highlighted Ghana’s leadership in local education financing through initiatives such as the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) and the Student Loan Trust Fund.

He also announced the success of the System Change Architecture for Learning Excellence (SCALE) initiative, a collaboration with partners including the Jacobs Foundation, Fondation Botnar, and UBS Optimus Foundation.

“The SCALE initiative has mobilized a USD 40 million grant to expand differentiated learning approaches to more than 15,000 schools and two million Ghanaian children,” Dr. Apaak disclosed. “This complements our flagship Ghana Accountability for Learning Outcomes Project (GALOP). I encourage other countries to explore similar local sources of funding.”

He commended the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) for entrusting Ghana with hosting the event, and praised African ministers and development partners for their shared commitment to education transformation.

“As we depart, I urge us all to translate our discussions into tangible actions,” he appealed. “The resilience we seek begins with us as policymakers, educators, funders, and citizens alike. Let the Accra Triennale be the catalyst for the transformation we desire.”