By Benjamin Makafui Attipoe, Ministries, Accra
The Minister of Education and Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale South, Haruna Iddrisu, has urged the government of the Republic of Indonesia to urgently consider the establishment of an Islamic Medical University in Ghana with its location in the Northern part of the country.
According to him, such an educational facility, would not only bridge the developmental gap between the north and the southern part of the country, but also further deepened the bilateral and educational ties between Ghana and Indonesia.
The Education Minister, made the call when the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Indonesia, H.E. Paskal A.B. Rois, paid a courtesy call on him in his office in Accra.
The working visit of the Honorary Consul, was aimed among other things at briefing the Education Minister on the available Indonesian scholarship opportunities some of which a number of Ghanaian students are already benefiting from.
Haruna Iddrisu, traced the long-standing bilateral relations between the two sister countries to the eras and efforts of the first Presidents of Ghana and Indonesia, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah and H.E. Achmed Sukarno respectively, who through the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), cemented the cherished ties between the two giant nations and their peoples.
He was optimistic that the Honorary Consul, would continue to work harder through the creation of more and bigger opportunities that would inure to the benefit of the two countries.
The Education Minister noted that such a dedicated Islamic Medical School with emphasis on the Sciences, can be discussed at the appropriate levels of the two countries not only to realize its fullest implementation within the shortest ties frame but also cement the Islamic ties between the Moslem community in Northern Ghana and their counterparts in Indonesia which is predominantly a giant Islamic nation on earth.
According to him, the future of the 21st century is about competencies, skills and knowledge which basically dovetails into science, mathematics and engineering. Mr Iddrisu intimated that Ghana still has a deficit of the provision of Medical Doctors particularly for the rural, deprived and under-developed Ghana, adding that such a tertiary institution would lead to a paradigm shift in medical education in the northern part of the country in particular and the country ultimately.
The Honorary Consul of the Republic of Indonesia in Ghana, H.E. Paskal A.B. Rois, congratulated the Minister on his appointment to lead the Education Ministry, adding that as an experienced figure, a renowned law maker and a hardworking politician, he was hopeful that Mr Idrissu would use his rich experience, expertise and knowledge from previous portfolios held over the period, to positively impact the educational sector.
Mr Rois, welcomed the Minister’s suggestion for Indonesia to consider the establishment of an Islamic Medical University in Northern Ghana, assuring that he would take up the issue to its highest level for a positive response from the Indonesian authorities.
Briefing the Minister on the scholarship opportunities in Indonesia, the Honorary Consul informed the Education Minister about the government’s KNB Scholarship which is currently opened in addition to dozens of other different scholarship opportunities from more than thirty (30) other prestigious universities in Indonesia for students of developing countries including Ghana.
Mr Rois disclosed that more than sixty (60) Ghanaian students are currently pursuing various partially or fully funded undergraduate, masters and doctorate degree programmes in various universities in Indonesia, adding that about six (6) of them have also returned to the country on completion of their two (2) to three (3) year courses of study in Indonesia in the last few years.
The Indonesia Consul said last year, his outfit held some engagements with the Pro and Vice Chancellors of some tertiary institutions in Ghana including the Ghana Technology University (GTU) in Accra, the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) and the University of Cape Coast (UCC).
According to him, such courtesy calls on him by the Heads of these institutions have opened new chapters in educational relations between these universities in Ghana and Indonesian universities where a Memorandum of Understanding (MOE) would soon be signed for lecturer to lecturer, student to student and other exchange programmes to commence among and between these tertiary institutions particularly between the faculties and students in Ghana and Indonesia.
Mr Rois expressed the hope that the Minister, would use his good offices as well as skills, knowledge and experience not only to reset the education sector of the country but also further deepen the educational bond between the two countries through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration.