Dr Clement Apaak, Deputy Minister for Education, has urged institutions of higher learning to clearly articulate and align their operations with their core mandates.
He said the government’s recent decision to rename some tertiary institutions was intended to better structure and communicate their identity and purpose to the public.
Dr Apaak was speaking at the 4th congregation of the Akenten Appiah-Menkah University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (AAMUSTED) in Kumasi, where he explained that the renaming exercise was also aimed at depoliticising academic institutions and allowing them to focus on their fundamental roles.
AAMUSTED is among the institutions affected by the renaming, with its new name being the University for Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development.
An instrument to effect the name changes for the affected institutions has been passed by Parliament and is awaiting presidential assent and gazetting.
A total of 8,165 students, comprising 4,879 males and 3,293 females from the Kumasi and Asante Mampong campuses, were presented with certificates, diplomas and degrees.
Dr Apaak said the government was deliberately repositioning skills development through technical and vocational education and training (TVET), stressing that AAMUSTED’s mandate to train critical skills manpower remained unchanged.
He noted that the university’s focus on equipping young people with employable skills to create jobs aligned with government priorities in skills training, teacher education and national development.
The Deputy Minister reaffirmed government’s commitment to strengthening TVET and vocational education to provide the requisite manpower for Ghana’s development.
He urged the graduating students to use the skills acquired to create opportunities for themselves, their communities and the nation, and to serve with discipline, humility and dedication wherever they found themselves.
Professor Frederick Kwaku Sarfo, Vice-Chancellor of the University, cited inadequate human resources and infrastructure as some of the challenges facing the institution, and appealed to government to grant financial clearance to enable the recruitment of additional academic and non-academic staff.
Professor Ellis Otoo, Chairman of the University Council, said the vision of positioning the university as a world-class TVET institution must be pursued with seriousness.
He called on government to prioritise infrastructure development and staff capacity building to enable the university effectively to deliver its mandate of providing relevant skills training for young Ghanaians.
GNA
Edited by Audrey Dekalu
Jan. 24, 2026
