{
  "id": 9154461,
  "title": "Education Minister challenges universities to align programmes with job market needs",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/22/education-minister-challenges-universities-to-align-programmes-with",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-22T14:06:46.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
    "slug": "myjoyonline-ghana",
    "url": "https://www.myjoyonline.com/education-minister-challenges-universities-to-align-programmes-with-job-market-needs/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has urged Ghanaian universities to align their academic programs with the demands of the job market to combat rising graduate unemployment. Speaking at the Higher Education Transformation Convening in Accra, organized by the Mastercard Foundation, Iddrisu particularly called on Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) to maintain its focus on science, engineering, and mathematics education. Ghana produces over 450,000 tertiary graduates annually, and it's crucial that universities ensure their programs meet industry needs, as African economies continue to grapple with skills shortages in technical, digital, and industrial sectors.\n\nMastercard Foundation President and CEO, Sewit Ahderom, highlighted that only about nine percent of young Africans of university age are currently enrolled in higher education. She pointed out that expanding access to education is just one aspect of the challenge; the continent must simultaneously prioritize the quality and relevance of university education. Ahderom spoke as the Mastercard Foundation marks its 20th anniversary and considers its next steps in supporting young Africans.\n\nJohn Nkengasong, Executive Director for Higher Education, Collaboratives, and Strategic Initiatives at the Mastercard Foundation, emphasized that Africa should develop higher education systems that cater to its unique economic and social needs rather than merely copying models from other countries. He underscored the critical role of transforming higher education in light of Africa's substantial and expanding youth population. Nkengasong argued that graduates should be equipped to solve problems and compete globally, stating that a young Ghanaian graduating from any university should be able to fit into the global supply chain and remain competitive.",
  "summary": "Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has challenged Ghanaian universities to refocus their academic programmes on the skills needed in the country’s job market to help address graduate unemployment. He said the growing disconnect between university training and available opportunities was contributing to unemployment among graduates, even as technical, digital and industrial sectors across Africa…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}