Winneba: The University of Education, Winneba (UEW) is preparing to host the inaugural Jophus Anamuah-Mensah Annual Public Lecture focused on 'Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), Transformation in Africa' in Winneba.
According to Ghana News Agency, the Education and Skills Development (ESDEV) Foundation Africa is organizing the lecture in collaboration with prominent academic and national institutions to create a sustainable continental platform for dialogue on TVET. This was highlighted in a press release from the office of the Registrar of UEW, signed by Mrs. Ekua Abedi-Boafo, the Registrar, and shared with the Ghana News Agency in Winneba.
Scheduled for March 27, 2026, at the Jophus Anamuah-Mensah Conference Centre, the event will gather policymakers, industry leaders, academics, university administrators, development partners, and youth representatives from across Africa. The aim is to reflect on progress, exchange innovations, and develop actionable recommendations to enhance national and continental TVET systems.
UEW, recognized as Ghana's leading institution for teacher education, is committed to preparing professional educators, advancing research initiatives, fostering policy innovation, and promoting inclusive skills development contributing to national and continental transformation.
The lecture is expected to inform ongoing policy discussions within African Union member states and related continental institutions. A keynote address by Prof. Clifford N. B. Tagoe, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, will provide strategic insight into the evolving role of TVET in Africa's development agenda.
The release also noted that the lecture honors the lasting contributions of Prof. Anamuah-Mensah, former Vice-Chancellor of UEW and a leading education reformer in Africa. His visionary leadership significantly shaped teacher education, educational policies, and skill development across Ghana and beyond.
Prof. Anamuah-Mensah, as Vice-Chancellor, played a transformative role in defining UEW's identity as Africa's first university dedicated to teacher education. He expanded access through open and distance learning, strengthened the academic mission, and positioned the university as a prominent voice in educational research and policy development.
His leadership was characterized by institutional consolidation, a strengthened research culture, and increased national relevance within Ghana's development agenda. Beyond institutional roles, he chaired Ghana's 2002 Education Reform Committee, integrating Early Childhood Education into the formal school system and positioning TVET as a crucial component of national development.
His advocacy for competency-based training, science and technology education, inclusivity, and access to quality learning continues to shape reforms across Africa.
The Annual Public Lecture is conceived as a celebratory and forward-looking platform aligned with Africa's transformation agenda, including Agenda 2063 and continental strategies prioritizing skills development, industrialization, and youth employment.
The release further indicates that hosting the lecture at the Jophus Anamuah-Mensah Conference Centre carries symbolic significance, honoring the foundational leadership of the University's first Vice-Chancellor, who served from 1998 to 2007, and played a pivotal role in consolidating UEW's institutional identity and advancing its mission in teacher education and national development.
'Through this initiative, the platform will further strengthen UEW's role as a catalyst for reforms and sustainable development in Ghana and across Africa, celebrating the continuing influence of Prof. Anamuah-Mensah on education policy, practice, and innovation,' the release added.