The Executive Director of Africa Education Watch (EduWatch), Kofi Asare has lauded the nomination of the Member of Parliament for Tamale South, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu as Minister of Education, emphasizing the weight of expectations and the critical challenges awaiting his tenure.
The seasoned educational activist, in his congratulation message, underscored not just his support for the nominee but also underlined the broader systemic issues plaguing Ghana’s education sector.
Kofi Asare revealed that Hon. Haruna reached out to inform EduWatch about his nomination and to court the organization’s support. This gesture, Mr Asare noted, was both encouraging and indicative of the nominee’s intent to build collaborative bridges.
“Unlike the outgone Minister who was my friend, I have never met Hon. Haruna in person. I however know him to be an influential development advocate and former student leader. He has also been a Minister before. I congratulated him for his nomination and welcomed him to the hot seat.”
Kofi Asare, Executive Director at the Africa Education Watch
Drawing parallels between Hon. Haruna Iddrisu and the late Hon. Baah Wiredu, a revered former Minister of Education and Finance, Mr Asare underscored the importance of managerial acumen, organizational skills, and effective advocacy in the role.
He stressed that succeeding at the Education Ministry requires not only technical expertise but also the ability to mobilize resources and influence decisions to prioritize education funding.
A Historic Nomination with Symbolic Significance
If approved, Hon. Haruna will become the first Minister of Education from northern Ghana in the Fourth Republic.
Kofi Asare highlighted this historic moment while drawing attention to the deep educational disparities between the northern and southern parts of the country.
“The five northern sector regions, Oti and Western North represents the most deprived regions in education in Ghana. The 7 regions have the highest number of schools under trees (over 4k), pupils without adequate desks (over 1m), pupils without textbooks, teacher deficits and percentage out of school children.”
Kofi Asare, Executive Director at the Africa Education Watch
This stark reality, according to Mr Asare would requires the seasoned lawamker and politician, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu’s unwavering commitment to a transformative leadership at one of the most important ministry in the country.
EduWatch’s Commitment to Bridging the Educational Divide
Kofi Asare pledged the Africa Education Watch’s support to the incoming Minister in bridging the generational north-south divide in education.
He pointed out that the organization aims to hold the Ministry accountable for policy actions and inactions while addressing the 140 promises outlined in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) education manifesto.
Additionally, Mr Asare announced the launch of EduWatch’s Manifesto Promise to Policy Transition (M2P) project, supported by the British Government.
The initiative seeks to provide technical assistance to the new administration in translating campaign promises into actionable policies, a task that will be critical to Hon. Haruna’s success.
In his concluding remarks, Mr Asare reiterated the need for an education system that is accountable, equitable, and efficient.
He expressed optimism that Hon. Haruna’s leadership could mark the beginning of a new chapter in Ghana’s education sector, provided he focuses on addressing the systemic issues head-on.
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