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The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) in Ghana, one of EI’s national affiliates, has welcomed President John Dramani Mahama’s choice to nominate Professor Naana Opoku Agyeman as Education Minister. Professor Opoku Agyeman is a former Vice Chancellor of the Cape Coast University.

In October 2009, she was elected Ghana's representative to the Executive Board of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation. Profesor Opoku Agyeman, a NAGRAT supporter, acted as Chairperson during the last two NAGRAT congresses.

A teacher union-friendly Education Minister

NAGRAT President, Christian Addai Poku, stressed that Professor Opoku Agyeman is the finest education Minister President Mahama could have appointed. He noted that Professor Opoku Agyeman could draw from her education experiences to transform the Ministry where many had failed.

“We believe that a lot of technocrats have come to the Ministry of Education as Ministers and they have not performed very well,” Addai Poku said. “We want to see Professor Naana Opoku Agyeman change a lot of things and take radical decisions to make sure that the right thing is done.

“We expect that she is going to lead wider consultations when it comes to the decision-making processes in education, ensuring that the various stakeholders’ views are taken on board. In that case, she will get the support of everyone when policy is finally adopted.”

EI: Education unions’ voice must be heard in education policies

The choice of Professor Naana Opoku Agyeman as Education Minister is a good move by Ghana’s Government, said EI General Secretary Fred van Leeuwen. “It shows that this Government is concerned with hearing educators’ voices and bringing their knowledge and experience to the cabinet table. We would encourage the Government to continue to pursue its efforts to guarantee quality public education to all its citizens,” he said.