Education must prepare students to create jobs, not just seek them – Deputy Minister

Deputy Minister for Education Dr. Clement Abas Apaak says education must prepare students to create jobs rather than just seek employment, as he calls for a partnership with the Chartered Institute of Marketing, Ghana (CIMG), to strengthen entrepreneurship and practical business skills.

He said the collaboration would help learners complement their academic and technical training with the knowledge needed to identify business opportunities, attract customers and commercialize their products and services.

Dr. Apaak made the call on Saturday, October 31, 2026, when he addressed the third graduation and 45th induction ceremony of CIMG.

He said the Ministry of Education recognized the importance of partnerships with professional bodies and industry in preparing learners for the changing demands of the economy.

“I therefore wish to use this occasion to formally invite the Chartered Institute of Marketing, Ghana, to engage the Ministry of Education in exploring a structured partnership to advance marketing education and enterprise development,” he said.

He explained that the proposed collaboration could introduce enterprise education activities, business clubs, career guidance sessions, mentorship programmes and practical initiatives to expose learners to marketing, branding and entrepreneurship.

He said CIMG could also support technical and vocational institutions by helping to develop practical marketing and business modules to enable students to commercialise the products and services they create.

At the tertiary level, he proposed collaboration in curriculum enrichment, industry lectures, internships, mentorship opportunities, applied research and professional development programmes.

He said learners needed to understand how to turn their technical knowledge into viable businesses, stressing that marketing education should form part of efforts to prepare young people for the world of work.

“A young person trained in agriculture must understand how to identify markets for agricultural produce. A student trained in fashion design, catering, manufacturing or information technology must appreciate how to build a brand, attract customers and turn technical expertise into a viable business,” he said.

He added that the country needed to equip learners with the ability to identify opportunities and create economic value from their skills.

“In other words, we must teach our young people not only how to produce, but also how to position, promote and successfully market what they produce,” Dr. Apaak said.

The Deputy Minister said the government’s education reforms were aimed at equipping young people with the knowledge, creativity and adaptability required to identify opportunities, establish businesses and contribute to national development.

He cited curriculum reforms at the basic education level, including artificial intelligence literacy, coding, computational thinking and digital citizenship, as well as the STEM Box programme, which promotes practical learning, creativity and problem-solving.

He also highlighted the Secondary Education Transformation for Access, Relevance and Results for Jobs (STARR-J) programme and reforms in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).

According to him, these initiatives reflect the Ministry’s commitment to strengthening the connection between education, skills development and employment.

“These reforms are informed by a fundamental conviction: education must equip our young people not only to seek employment but also to identify opportunities, create enterprises and contribute meaningfully to national development,” he said.

Dr. Apaak said the proposed partnership with CIMG would also complement the Ministry’s efforts to promote digital literacy, innovation and practical skills development.

He urged the institute’s leadership to initiate formal discussions with the Ministry to develop a practical framework for the collaboration.

However, he explained that the scope and implementation arrangements would be determined through the appropriate consultations and approvals.

Dr. Apaak said the objective should be to establish a partnership that produces measurable benefits for learners, educators, the marketing profession and the wider economy.

He also congratulated graduating students and newly inducted members of CIMG, urging them to use their professional knowledge to support local enterprises, create economic opportunities and contribute to Ghana’s development.