The government has constituted a committee comprising the Ministry of Education, the Ghana Education Service (GES), and university authorities to address growing concerns about the rising hostel accommodation fees across the country.

Speaking at the inauguration of governing councils for Jasikan College of Education and the University of Engineering and Agricultural Sciences on Tuesday, May 11, the minister cautioned that private partnerships in hostel development must not result in exorbitant charges for students.

He said there are ongoing public concerns about adjustments to hostel fees and explained that a committee involving the Ministry of Education, the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), and vice-chancellors of universities will continue consultations aimed at reaching an amicable solution.

He stressed that the government will not allow private partnerships in education infrastructure to operate without safeguards, insisting that public interest and social values must guide the delivery of such services.

Government, he further emphasized, will ensure a socially responsible approach in the provision of public goods, reflecting broader social concerns in its implementation.

The minister also announced that the University of Engineering and Agricultural Sciences is expected to admit its first 800 students by October this year, adding that the government is also pursuing plans to establish additional universities, including one in the Western North Region.

He noted that proposals for the establishment of more public universities will be submitted to the president and government for policy guidance through the appropriate processes.

The minister further assured residents of the Western North Region that they are not being left out of the government’s plans for new universities, stressing that they remain part of ongoing considerations for the expansion of higher education infrastructure across the country.

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A Ghanaian teacher has once again placed the country in the global spotlight after being named the Sub-Saharan African regional winner of the 2026 Cambridge Dedicated Teacher Awards, marking the second consecutive year a Ghanaian educator has claimed the honor.

Abigail Agyeiwaa, an English teacher at Mangoase Senior High School, emerged victorious from a field of more than 1,500 nominated teachers across Sub-Saharan Africa for her contribution to education and community development.

The award is organized by Cambridge University Press & Assessment and recognizes outstanding teachers making transformative impacts in classrooms and communities around the world.

Her recognition comes just a year after fellow Ghanaian educator Portia Dzilah won the overall global prize, further strengthening Ghana’s growing reputation for educational excellence and innovation.

Abigail, who began her teaching career in 2014 in the rural town of Adawso, has become widely known for championing quality education in underserved communities and advocating equal opportunities for rural learners.

Over the years, her work has expanded beyond classroom teaching into social intervention programmes aimed at tackling barriers preventing children, particularly girls and vulnerable students, from staying in school.

Through the establishment of the KAGAS Foundation Ghana, she has spearheaded initiatives focused on education, health awareness and gender empowerment within communities in the Akuapem North Municipality.

Speaking after the announcement, Abigail described education as a basic human right and said her passion for teaching had always gone beyond academic instruction.

She explained that many students struggle not because of a lack of intelligence, but because of poverty, limited opportunities and social challenges that affect their confidence and ability to remain in school.

“For me, teaching has always meant understanding what prevents children from succeeding and trying to remove those obstacles,” she said, adding that the award would inspire her to continue supporting disadvantaged learners.

Officials of Cambridge University Press & Assessment praised her commitment to educational transformation and community impact.

Group Managing Director for International Education at Cambridge, Rod Smith, said Abigail represented the highest values of the teaching profession by extending her influence beyond the classroom to improve the wellbeing of learners.

He noted that her work demonstrated how education could serve as a powerful tool for social change, particularly in rural and underserved areas.

The 2026 edition of the Cambridge Dedicated Teacher Awards attracted more than 12,000 nominations from 126 countries, with nine teachers selected as regional winners across different parts of the world.

Public voting has now opened to determine the overall global winner, who will be announced on June 2, 2026.

Abigail will compete against the eight other regional winners for the top global honour, with voting expected to close on May 13.

Her latest recognition is expected to further energise conversations around teacher welfare, rural education and the role of educators in national development.

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Cambridge Regional Education Award

The Headmistress of Spiritan Senior High Technical School, Emelia Adusei, has made a passionate appeal for urgent government and stakeholder intervention to address critical infrastructure challenges facing the school. Speaking in a recent interview aired on United Television Ghana, popularly known as UTV Ghana, the headmistress highlighted longstanding issues affecting academic activities and student safety at the institution located in Adankwame in the Atwima Nwabiagya area of the Ashanti Region.

According to Madam Adusei, the school’s most pressing concern is the lack of proper fencing around the compound. She explained that the absence of a perimeter wall has left the campus exposed, allowing animals such as cattle and sheep to roam freely within the school environment. The situation, she noted, poses serious safety risks to students and staff while also disrupting teaching and learning activities on campus.

The headmistress also expressed concern over the school’s deteriorating and incomplete infrastructure. She pointed to inadequate dormitory facilities, especially for male students, as well as insufficient classroom blocks and the lack of essential amenities needed for effective academic work. Some of the projects, she revealed, have remained unfinished since around the 2019 academic year, leaving several facilities either abandoned or in poor condition.

Madam Adusei stressed that the continuous infrastructure deficits are negatively affecting the overall academic environment of the technical institution. She explained that overcrowded classrooms, inadequate hostel accommodation, and the poor state of school structures make it difficult for both students and teachers to operate under conducive conditions. She further indicated that the school also faces operational and staffing challenges, which require immediate support from relevant authorities.

In an emotional appeal, the headmistress called on the Ghana Education Service, the Ministry of Education, corporate institutions, philanthropists, and other stakeholders to come to the aid of the school. She emphasized that securing the school compound through fencing and completing the necessary infrastructure projects would significantly improve security and create a better learning environment for students pursuing technical and vocational education.

Visuals shown during the television report captured the current state of the school, including aging classroom blocks, incomplete structures, surrounding vegetation, and open spaces vulnerable to intrusion. The footage underscored the gap between the institution’s educational potential and the challenges posed by its physical infrastructure.

The situation at Spiritan Senior High Technical School reflects broader concerns within Ghana’s secondary education sector, particularly among technical and vocational institutions that continue to struggle with inadequate funding, delayed government projects, and poor infrastructure development. Many schools across the country have repeatedly appealed for support to improve facilities necessary for quality education delivery.

Despite the challenges, Madam Adusei reaffirmed her commitment and dedication to ensuring students receive quality education. Her public appeal through the media is expected to draw attention to the urgent needs of the school and encourage swift intervention from authorities and development partners.

The headmistress’s message remains clear: Spiritan Senior High Technical School urgently requires fencing, improved dormitories, better classrooms, and enhanced infrastructure support to provide students with a safe and conducive learning environment. Without immediate action, the school’s efforts to deliver quality technical education may continue to face significant setbacks.

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