Ghana education sector can rake in over $2b annually – Joe Ghartey

A-Joe Ghartey-led government will adopt measures to equip local Universities to attain international standards, Presidential Aspirant hopeful of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr. Joe Ghartey, has said.

He said the move would enable the education sector to rake in more than $2 billion annually from international students.

He said with careful and deliberate interventions in several sectors of the economy, including the education sector, Ghana could in the short to medium term, turn her fortunes around.

Mr. Joe Ghartey, a former Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Minister for Railways Development, said this at the launch of his “Hope and Unity Tour” at the University of Mines and Technology School of Railways Development at Essikado in the Western Region.

Mr Ghartey, who is the sitting Member of Parliament (MP) of Essikado – Ketan, cited the United Kingdom, which earned approximately £28.8 billion a year from international students.

He said that if Ghana could attract just ten per cent of this amount, it would earn Ghana the same amount she was seeking to borrow from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) annually.

Mr. Ghartey emphasised that wherever educational institutions were situated, the environment experienced a boom in economic activity.

He said the foundation had already been laid in the education sector and was now left with prudent measures and fortitude to tap the benefits thereof.

The MP said, “a Joe Ghartey-led government would take the steps that would make our universities internationally competitive in a bid to attract more international students.”

These steps, Mr Ghartey noted, include increased regulation, targeted scholarships for lecturers and some financial interventions.

Mr Ghartey had since left the Western Region for the Western-North Region as he continued his Nationwide Tour of Hope and Unity.

Source: GNA