Education Minister Calls for Establishment of Islamic Medical University in Northern Ghana
Ghana’s Education Minister, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, has urged the Indonesian government to consider establishing an Islamic Medical University in Northern Ghana. This proposal aims to bridge the developmental gap between the north and south, while strengthening bilateral ties between Ghana and Indonesia.
The Minister made this call during a courtesy visit from Indonesia’s Honorary Consul, H.E. Paskal A.B. Rois, at his office in Accra. The visit was aimed at briefing the Education Minister on available Indonesian scholarship opportunities for Ghanaian students.
Hon. Iddrisu emphasized the significance of establishing an Islamic Medical University in Northern Ghana, highlighting its potential to address the country’s deficit of medical doctors, particularly in rural areas. He noted that such an institution would lead to a paradigm shift in medical education in the northern part of the country.
The Education Minister also underscored the importance of science, mathematics, and engineering in the 21st century, stressing that the future of the world is about competencies, skills, and knowledge.
Hon. Iddrisu traced the long-standing bilateral relations between Ghana and Indonesia to the era of Ghana’s first President, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, and Indonesia’s first President, H.E. Achmed Sukarno, who cemented the ties between the two countries through the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).
The Honorary Consul, H.E. Paskal A.B. Rois, congratulated Hon. Iddrisu on his appointment as Education Minister and expressed optimism that he would use his rich experience and expertise to positively impact the educational sector.
Mr. Rois welcomed the Minister’s proposal for the establishment of an Islamic Medical University in Northern Ghana and assured that he would take it up with the Indonesian authorities for a positive response.
The Honorary Consul also briefed the Education Minister on the various Indonesian scholarship opportunities available to Ghanaian students, including the government’s KNB Scholarship, which is currently open. He noted that dozens of other scholarship opportunities are available from over 30 prestigious universities in Indonesia for students from developing countries, including Ghana.
Mr. Rois disclosed that over 60 Ghanaian students are currently pursuing various undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degree programs in Indonesian universities, with six having returned to Ghana after completing their studies.
The Honorary Consul expressed his hope that the Education Minister would use his good offices to deepen the educational bond between Ghana and Indonesia, particularly through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration.
He also revealed that his outfit had engaged with the Pro and Vice Chancellors of some tertiary institutions in Ghana, including the Ghana Technology University (GTU) in Accra, the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), and the University of Cape Coast (UCC). These courtesy calls have opened new chapters in educational relations between these universities in Ghana and Indonesian universities, with plans to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for lecturer-to-lecturer, student-to-student, and other exchange programs.
Source: Benjamin Makafui Attipoe,
