Dr. Apaak leads GES, CTVET to maiden Parliamentary Committee on Economy, Development sitting

The Deputy Minister for Education, Dr. Clement Apaak, on Tuesday appeared before the Parliamentary Committee on Economy and Development with officials from the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET) on the 2024 National Annual Progress Report.

The Parliamentary Committee on Economy and Development formed part of Parliament’s oversight role, providing lawmakers an opportunity to review developments within the education sector and assess progress under the national development agenda.

Addressing the committee, Dr. Apaak conveyed greetings from the Minister for Education, who is unable to attend the meeting due to ongoing recovery from a recent accident.

“He would have wanted to be here himself, but as is well known and documented, he is still recovering from that unfortunate accident about three or so weeks ago. He has therefore asked me to represent him for this very important and novel committee,” Dr. Apaak told the committee.

He also thanked the committee for accommodating the rescheduling of the meeting from February 17, noting the importance of constructive engagement between the Ministry and Parliament.

“The purpose of today’s meeting is to discuss the 2024 National Annual Progress Report. This engagement provides us with an important opportunity to review progress, share insights, and collectively assess how far we have advanced in implementing our national development priorities,” he said.

Dr. Apaak explained that the report is prepared annually by the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) and serves as a key tool for monitoring government policies and evaluating the extent to which national programmes deliver results.

“The National Annual Progress Report is prepared each year by the National Development Planning Commission. Its primary purpose is to track and evaluate the progress made in implementing the country’s national medium-term development plan,” he said.

The 2024 report evaluates progress under the national development framework known as the Agenda for Jobs tool, officially titled Creating Prosperity and Equal Opportunities for All (2022). The framework covers six major dimensions, including economic development, social development, infrastructure, governance, emergency response, and implementation monitoring.

Dr. Apaak highlighted that the education sector falls under the social development dimension, which focuses on improving the quality of life for Ghanaians. He emphasised that education is central to national transformation, human capital development, and economic productivity.

Officials from GES and CTVET are expected to present updates on the performance of the education sector, detailing achievements, ongoing initiatives, and challenges encountered during the reporting period, as well as progress toward targets outlined under the national development framework.