President Nana Akufo-Addo has been honoured in Rwanda for implementing the free Senior High School programme in Ghana.
He was honoured by the African Leadership University.
“In recognition of his extraordinary commitment to education by implementing free universal education in Ghana, African Leadership University recognizes the President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for his exemplary leadership,” a citation the University presented to the President stated on Friday, September 7, 2018.
Speaking prior to presenting the award, Mr. Fred Swaniker, Founder of the African Leadership University, explained that President Akufo-Addo embodies the meaning of the quote “education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world.”
According to him, Ghana, Africa, and indeed the world, is already witnessing the impact of of the Free Senior High School policy on the lives of hundreds of thousands of Ghanaians, which for him, “is the reason number one that we thought he deserves this citation.”
In the first year of the implementation of the free SHS policy, 90,000 more students entered senior high schools in 2017 than they did in 2016.
Again, in 2018, the second year of the policy, 180,000 more students are to be admitted into senior high schools across the country, although they will all not go at the same time, due to a challenge of space, leading to the implementation of the double-track system from this September.
The second reason for the award, the ALU Founder said, is the President’s belief in the ability of the youth.
“From the beginning, as he assumed office, he made it very clear that his number one priority was to ensure that the youth of Ghana got the opportunity, and were able to get jobs, and he’s implemented the policy of “One District, One Factory”, which is really about promoting the youth entrepreneurship, and making sure that the rural youth got an opportunity for employment,” he added.
Thirdly, President Akufo-Addo’s persistence and perseverance in not giving up on his vision of serving Ghana, according to Fred Swaniker, is one which has to be emulated by this generation of African youth.
“Nelson Mandela was in jail for 27 years, and I believe that one of the traits of great leaders is their persistence, they don’t give up until they achieve their vision. And our President ran for office twice, before he eventually won. And that I believe, is the mark of a great leader,” he said.
The final reason for the award Fred Swaniker said, was his belief in African self-reliance.
“I remember watching him proudly in this video that was going around. It went viral, and many of you might have seen this video, and if you haven’t, then you should watch it. This was when the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, visited and he stood there, as our President told him about Ghana without aid and described his vision for African self-reliance and for Ghana’s self reliance, where we will no longer depend on colonial powers like France,” he said.
The ALU Founder continued, “I have never felt more proud to be a Ghanaian than when I watched that video. So, Mr. President, thank you so much for really inspiring all of us to think about how as Africans, we can only drive our destiny and no longer rely on the rest of the world.”
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is currently in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda for the African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF).
On Thursday he met with the Ghanaian community in Kigali.
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Source: Citinewsroom.com
