Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has announced plans to establish a new College of Education in the Jomoro Municipality of the Western Region to expand access to teacher training.
The Minister disclosed this on Wednesday during the inauguration of the Committee for the Establishment of New Public Universities at the Ministry of Education.
He was supported at the event by Deputy Minister for Education, Clement Abas Apaak.
According to Mr. Iddrisu, the proposed college will be located in Ezinligbo and is expected to serve communities across the Western corridor.
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“To serve the same academic purpose, we are looking at establishing [the institution] in Ezinligbo in the Jomoro Municipality,” he stated.
He further revealed that the government is exploring partnerships to support the project, with the Ghana National Gas Company expressing interest in collaborating to bring the initiative to fruition.
Beyond the College of Education project, the Minister tasked the newly inaugurated committee to ensure that the establishment of public universities aligns with national development priorities and labour market demands.
“The president desires that every region in Ghana has a public university of its own to expand access,” he noted.
Mr. Iddrisu emphasised that the expansion of tertiary education must be guided by clear, development-oriented principles, particularly in research, innovation, and human resource development.
“How does it contribute to deepening research and innovation apart from access?” he questioned.
He further stressed the need for higher education to respond to Ghana’s evolving manpower needs and future workforce demands.
Chairperson of the committee, Christine Amoako-Nuama, described the committee’s mandate as both ambitious and timely.
“The mandate entrusted to this committee… is both ambitious and timely,” she said, adding that the focus will be on delivering quality and sustainable outcomes.
She emphasised that the success of the initiative would not be measured by the number of institutions established but by their relevance, quality, and long-term impact.
Dr. Amoako-Nuama also noted that all proposed institutions must align with national priorities such as science, agriculture, and entrepreneurship to drive development.