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Deputy Minister for Education, Dr Clement Abas Apaak, has called for stronger collaboration between universities and industry to equip Ghanaian graduates with the practical digital skills required in a rapidly changing global economy.
He said partnerships between academic institutions and technology companies were critical to closing the gap between what students learn in the classroom and the skills demanded by employers.
Dr Apaak made the remarks at a partnership signing ceremony between MTN Ghana and the University of Ghana in Accra on Wednesday, September 2, 2026.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, Dr Apaak described the partnership as an example of the industry-academia collaboration needed to strengthen Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education and improve youth employability.
“Every major digital economy was built on one partnership: a classroom willing to teach the future, and an industry willing to invest in it. That is exactly what we are witnessing today,” he said.
The Deputy Minister noted that the global economy was increasingly being driven by digital innovation, data systems and artificial intelligence, making it necessary for Ghana’s higher education system to place greater emphasis on applied digital skills.
According to him, the partnership would create opportunities for students to move beyond theoretical knowledge and gain practical experience relevant to Ghana’s technology sector.
Three-pronged intervention
The partnership includes the MTN Ghana Digital Excellence Awards, which will recognise high-performing Computer Science students and provide pathways to practical tools, National Service placements and opportunities within the technology industry.
It will also introduce the Tɛkyerɛma Pa Hackathon, aimed at encouraging students to develop technology-based solutions to real socio-economic challenges facing the country.
Dr Apaak said the initiative would help young people transition from being mere consumers of technology to becoming creators of digital solutions.
“The responsibility now rests on you to build applications, algorithms and enterprises that solve pressing national challenges, and position Ghana as a competitive participant in the global digital economy,” he told students and young innovators.
He added that the partnership would expose beneficiaries to practical competencies in artificial intelligence, software development, data science and other areas increasingly important to the modern workforce.
Lessons from Rwanda
Dr Apaak cited Rwanda’s Kigali Innovation City as an example of how collaboration between universities, technology companies, start-ups and investors could contribute to wider economic transformation.
He said the experience demonstrated that when academia and industry deliberately worked together, the benefits extended beyond education to job creation, entrepreneurship, innovation and national productivity.
“The lesson is clear: when industry and academia work together with intention, the benefits go beyond the classroom. They create jobs, grow enterprises, strengthen innovation and improve national productivity,” he said.
Government backs private-sector investment
The Deputy Minister said the Ministry of Education remained committed to creating a policy environment that would encourage corporate institutions to invest in universities and other academic institutions.
He described MTN Ghana’s investment in human capital as a benchmark for public-private collaboration and urged other companies to adopt similar partnerships aligned with the skills and innovation needs of the economy.
Dr Apaak said government viewed such initiatives as essential to building stronger connections between education, innovation, industry and national development.
He expressed the Ministry’s appreciation to MTN Ghana and the University of Ghana for the partnership and reaffirmed government’s support for initiatives aimed at accelerating Ghana’s digital skills and education transformation agenda.
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