The government is looking to partner with international organisations to secure funding for the expansion of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education in Ghana, Deputy Minister of Education-designate Clement Abass Apaak has said.
Speaking during his vetting before Parliament’s Appointments Committee on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, Mr Apaak described STEM education as expensive and said the country could not rely solely on government funds to sustain its growth.
He said external support would be needed to strengthen STEM initiatives and give more students access to modern learning opportunities.
“If my minister were to seek my opinion, I would suggest reaching out to bilateral and multilateral partners, as well as donor organisations, to support the effort,” Mr Apaak said.
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He cited the MasterCard Foundation as one organisation that had previously assisted Ghana’s education sector and suggested that similar partnerships should be explored.
He revealed that 10 STEM schools were at various stages of completion, with seven already operational.
He also noted that new subjects, including biomedical engineering, aeronautics engineering, and advanced agricultural science, had been introduced to equip students with skills relevant to emerging industries.
His vetting also covered the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy, particularly the feeding programme, which has faced challenges in recent years.
Mr Apaak explained that the current arrangement, where school heads receive funds to procure food for students, is only a temporary measure until the government presents its first budget.
“The current measure is to provide resources to school heads to purchase food while a long-term plan is developed,” he said.
