Deputy Education Minister, Dr. Clement Abas Apaak, has emphasised the importance of empowering adolescents across the country in order to advance national development goals.

Delivering the keynote address at the National Launch of the Education Plus Initiative at La Palm Royal Beach Hotel in Accra on Wednesday, 10 December 2025, Dr. Apaak described the programme as “an integrated and transformative approach that ensures learners are not only in school, but are safe, healthy, informed, supported, and empowered.”

He explained that the initiative brings together education, health, gender equality, youth development, and social protection to create an environment where adolescents, particularly girls, can achieve their full potential.

Highlighting Ghana’s progress in education over the past two decades, Dr. Apaak noted achievements such as gender parity at the basic level, the Free Senior High School policy, and the provision of sanitary pads for girls in schools.

However, he acknowledged persistent challenges: “Transition rates from junior high to senior high school are still lower for girls in some regions.

Learning outcomes remain uneven.

Social factors such as early marriages, teenage pregnancies, gender-based violence, and harmful stereotypes continue to undermine our collective efforts to transform futures through education.”

He underlined that the Education Plus Initiative is designed to complement Ghana’s Education Strategic Plan and align with the broader national development agenda.

“Most importantly, it reminds us that empowering adolescents requires collaboration across sectors and meaningful engagement with young people themselves,” he said.

Dr. Apaak stressed that empowered adolescents can become agents of change who transform not only their own lives but also those of their families, communities, and the nation.

He called on stakeholders to take decisive steps following the launch: “Let us strengthen safe and inclusive school environments, expand access to comprehensive services, and ensure that every girl can complete her education and step confidently into adulthood.”

He pledged the Ministry of Education’s commitment to full implementation of the initiative, stating, “Together, we can translate this initiative from policy into practice and make its promise a lived reality for every adolescent in Ghana.”