The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has appointed Professor Christian Agyare as its new Vice-Chancellor for a four-year term beginning August 1, 2026.

The appointment was announced in an official notice issued and signed by the Registrar, Benjamin B. Owusu, on May 13, 2026, following the University Council’s 292nd Special Meeting held on Wednesday.

According to the statement, the Council considered and accepted the report of the Search Committee for Vice-Chancellor before approving the appointment of Professor Agyare, a Professor of Pharmaceutics and current Provost of the College of Health Sciences at KNUST.

He is expected to serve as Vice-Chancellor from August 1, 2026, to July 31, 2030.

The appointment comes amid heightened public interest in the university’s leadership transition following recent reports alleging political interference in the selection process, claims the university earlier dismissed as false and misleading.

KNUST had maintained that the process was being conducted professionally, transparently and in accordance with the institution’s established procedures.

Professor Agyare is widely recognised within academic and research circles for his contributions to pharmaceutical sciences and higher education administration.

citinewsroom.com

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.

myjoyonline.com

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.

graphic.com.gh

Cambridge Regional Education Award