President John Dramani Mahama has announced a major investment package for Ghana’s technical universities, pledging GHS10 million each to all ten public technical universities in the 2027 national budget to enhance infrastructure, laboratories and equipment.
Speaking at the 4th Biennial Applied Research Conference of Technical Universities in Takoradi the President said the move forms part of government’s broader agenda to strengthen Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education and position technical universities at the centre of Ghana’s industrial transformation.
According to President Mahama, technical universities must evolve into hubs of innovation and practical skills development capable of driving a knowledge-based economy and reducing youth unemployment.
“You must focus on hands-on, competence-based technical and vocational training aligned with the German model,” President Mahama stated.
He explained that the funding would help the institutions fulfil the objectives envisioned when polytechnics were converted into technical universities nearly a decade ago.
The President further announced plans to establish two additional technical universities at Jasikan in the Oti Region and Techiman in the Bono East Region. He also disclosed that government intends to establish a new University of Science and Technology in the Savannah Region to improve access to higher education in northern Ghana.
“The new universities will be the bridge between the world of science and industry. They will forge a symbiotic relationship with industry by utilising industrial resources for innovation and technological advancement,” he said.
President Mahama noted that technical universities remain critical in addressing youth unemployment by producing graduates with practical and industry-relevant skills.
“The goal is to move Ghana from producing job seekers to producing job creators,” he emphasised.
As part of efforts to deepen technical and vocational education, the President also announced plans to establish a dedicated TVET Fund to support science-based education nationwide.
He highlighted previous investments in engineering training facilities at Takoradi and Kumasi technical universities, where six specialised laboratories were provided for each institution at a cost of $5 million.
The laboratories support training in areas including electronics, advanced manufacturing, solar energy and wind technology.
The conference brought together academia, researchers, policymakers and industry stakeholders to deliberate on innovation, applied research and the future of technical education in Ghana.
Story: Patrick Asford Boadu
