Education Plus Initiative: Dr. Apaak advocates a stronger commitment to girls’ education

Deputy Education Minister, Dr. Clement Abas Apaak, has called for a renewed national commitment to ensuring that every Ghanaian girl completes her education with dignity.

Speaking on behalf of the Honorable Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, at the National Stakeholder Consultation Meeting on the Education Plus Initiative in Accra on Thursday, the deputy minister said educating adolescent girls and young women “is not only a question of fairness, but a cornerstone of Ghana’s progress.”

“When adolescent girls and young women are educated, healthy, and empowered, families are stronger, communities are more resilient, and nations more prosperous,” Dr. Apaak stated.

He noted that Ghana had made remarkable gains in access to education over the past two decades, achieving gender parity at the basic school level through sustained investments and community mobilization.

“The Free Senior High School Policy has built on this success by removing one of the greatest barriers to secondary education, financial access,” he said, adding that the policy had opened new opportunities for young women.

However, the deputy minister acknowledged that challenges remain.

“Transition from basic to secondary and tertiary levels remains uneven, particularly for girls in rural and low-income households,” he said. “Girls are still underrepresented in STEM disciplines and TVET, which are critical for our country’s economic transformation.”

He warned that social and cultural barriers such as early marriage, teenage pregnancy, and gender-based violence continue to threaten progress.

“These barriers not only limit educational opportunity but also increase vulnerability to poverty and ill-health,” he added.

Dr. Apaak said the Education Plus Initiative was timely because it provides an integrated framework linking education, health, gender equality, and socio-economic empowerment.

“Keeping girls in school is not only about classrooms but about creating the social and health conditions that allow them to thrive,” he explained.

He urged stakeholders to develop evidence-based solutions and recognize young women as “active partners in shaping the future we envision.”

“The task before us,” the Minister noted, “is to ensure that every Ghanaian girl is given that chance, to learn, to lead, and to live free from limitation.”

The Education Plus Initiative is a joint United Nations-led program designed to help adolescent girls and young women in sub-Saharan Africa stay in school, complete secondary education, and gain the skills and support needed to lead healthy lives.

It was launched in 2021 by UNAIDS, in collaboration with UNESCO, UNFPA, UNICEF, UN Women, and the World Health Organization (WHO).

The initiative focuses on linking education, health, and empowerment to reduce HIV infections and gender inequality among young women.