Ghana has secured a US$30 million grant from the Government of China to support the establishment of a University of Science and Technology in Damongo, with a specific focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies, the Minister for Education, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, has disclosed.
The Minister made the disclosure during a working visit paid to him by the newly appointed Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, H.E. Cong Song, an engagement he used to call for stronger collaboration between Ghana and China in expanding access to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education across all levels of the country’s education system.
Speaking during the engagement, Hon. Iddrisu said greater cooperation between the two countries in STEM fields and emerging technologies would help equip Ghanaian learners with the skills required to meet the demands of an increasingly technology-driven global economy.
He framed the relationship with China not merely as a source of financial support, but as a strategic partnership capable of shaping the future readiness of Ghana’s education system.
Appreciation For Existing Chinese Support
The Minister used the occasion to express appreciation to the Government of China for its continued support to Ghana’s education sector over the years, specifically highlighting the establishment of Confucius Institutes in some Ghanaian universities.
According to Hon. Iddrisu, these institutes have played a meaningful role in strengthening both the educational and cultural ties binding the two countries together.
“The Confucius Institutes established in our universities have contributed significantly to strengthening the educational and cultural ties between Ghana and China.”
Hon. Iddrisu
Turning specifically to the newly disclosed funding, the Minister thanked China for the US$30 million grant extended to the Government of Ghana, which will go toward establishing the University of Science and Technology in Damongo.
He noted that the institution is being designed with a particular emphasis on Artificial Intelligence and other emerging technologies, positioning it as a forward-looking addition to Ghana’s higher education landscape.
He expressed hope that Ambassador Cong Song’s tenure in Ghana would help further strengthen the longstanding bilateral relationship between the two countries, particularly within the education and technology sectors, building on the foundation laid by previous phases of cooperation.
Ambitions To Expand Partnership Further
Beyond the Damongo project, Hon. Iddrisu indicated that Ghana looks forward to expanding its partnership with China beyond existing interventions, with the aim of ensuring that learners at every level of the education system have genuine opportunities to acquire practical STEM and digital skills.
This forward-looking framing suggests that government views the Damongo university project as one component within a broader, evolving cooperation agenda rather than a standalone achievement.
Responding to the Minister’s remarks, Ambassador Cong Song reaffirmed China’s commitment to deepening cooperation with Ghana, expressing a shared interest in strengthening partnerships that contribute meaningfully to the country’s development, particularly within education, science and technology.
“China remains committed to deepening cooperation with Ghana and strengthening partnerships that support the country’s development, especially in education, science and technology.”
Hon. Iddrisu
The disclosure of the US$30 million grant for the Damongo university project adds to a series of Chinese-backed education initiatives in Ghana, reinforcing a bilateral relationship that has increasingly centred on capacity building in science, technology and emerging fields such as artificial intelligence.
With the Ambassador’s tenure just beginning, both sides appear keen to build on this foundation, with attention now likely to turn toward how quickly the Damongo university project moves from funding commitment to actual implementation, and how the broader STEM collaboration between the two countries develops in the months ahead.
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