Reset Agenda Needs Real Investment: Build STEM Schools, Boost TVET, Finish Kwadaso Creative Arts Project

Introduction
The word Reset in the Reset Agenda is an Acronym, with each letter stands as follows: R-Recovery; by driving economic growth and stabilizing the Cedis, E-Entrepreneurship: by boosting local business and youth enterprise programs. S-Sustainability: by building long-term growth and restoring the integrity of state institutions. E-Employment: by creating sustainable jobs, anchored primarily by the flagship 24-Hour Economy Initiative. T-Trade promoting import substitution and maximizing made-in-Ghana exports.

Thus a critical pillar of the Reset Agenda is a Mindset Revolution to change the narrative, thus it must be with a reforming of the educational system to align with the national and global job markets by equipping the youth with digital, technical, and vocational skills and promotes hands-on experience of something and not the usual memorization of academic subjects in traditional schools.. Hence Science, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and Technical Education Vocational Training (TEVT) educations should be part of the larger national reset agenda aimed at economy recovery, institutional transparency and continuous job creations.

So, the Reset Agenda, as governance accountability and economic transformation, thus encompasses wider economic, political and social overhauls, hence includes education overhauls. The education overhauls must directly target Ghana high unemployment rate by shaping education to fit a 21-century workforce, through Science, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and Technical Education Vocational Training (TEVT) educations prioritization to ensure graduates have practicable, employable skills, digital skills and coding as promised by President Mahama for an introduction of the one million coders program, to build a workforce ready for 3Billion Dollars digital economy.

Ghana’s education reforms as element of the Reset Agenda must deal with Curriculum overhaul by shifting away from the rote or memorization and exam-centric system towards character building, critical thinking, and market-ready competencies for a Better Ghana.

Thus the education reforms must be about overhauling the education system so as to train the youth to meet local and global market demands. So building at least four dedicated Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Schools in every region is a highly effective strategy to meet the rising global demand for a high-tech-driven workforce. Since High-tech, engineering, and Artificial Intelligence industries are growing exponentially. So Ghana must have more STEM Schools to find innovative and creative ways of making Ghana, a better place and global layer in ICT Revolution, as a national priority.

Hands-on inclusive and innovative-driven through STEM education into digital literature through, computing, and coding training in robotics, engineering, and applied sciences bridge the gap between memorization of theories by students and real-world job needs.

The debate on whether to provide standalone STEM SHS in every region versus integrating system into existing mainstream schools has been debated by policy makers, analyst and political figures without come out with a national consensus on better reforms to be captured by the constitutional provided National Development Planning Authority (NDPA), to ensure Ghana benefits from the exponential global market for High-tech, engineering, and Artificial Intelligence experts.

So, Retired Major Mohammed Bogobiri, recommends to the President of Ghana, currently President Mahama should consider to establish additional Standalones STEM Schools to the existing 15 STEMS Schools. At least five STEM Schools in each of the 16 Regions to meet the constitutional requirement of Regional Balance, especially in educational infrastructures and human development and make the STEM Schools as part of the Category ‘A’ Schools to the traditional or mainstream school.

Specialized faculty through Standalone STEM education, with at least five in each region of Ghana is easier to deploy and manage due to limited specialized, highly trained teachers in electronic or coding in a few dedicated schools rather than stretching them across hundreds of general institutions. The advantages include the following;

1. Cultural of innovation: by placing similarly minded, scientifically inclined students together in a dedicated environment will foster intense collaborations, focus and peer -to-peer inspirations.

2. Centralized standalone: Centralized standalone versus democratized access (that is addition of STEM equipment/labs facilities at mainstream or traditional schools). Centralized standalone STEM Schools ensure cutting edge resources such as robotics kits, 3D Printers and advanced Labs in one place, this create an environment capable of producing top-tier innovators than diluting the STEM education traditional schools with traditional subjects for memorization or chew pour, pass and forget . Concentration of specialized talent Gathering specialized educators and equipment in one place, maximizes resources efficiently than diluting specialized tools across hundred traditional schools.

3. Geographical (Regional) equity: Available Regional STEM Schools will ensure, rural, suburban and urban students of each region have regional access to advanced technical facilities. A policy of ensuring at least five per region would guarantee the top-tier talents from every part of Ghana have local access to specialized infrastructure. Thus at least five high-resources STEM in every region will help to fix geographical imbalances, since currently the northern sector historically lacked these dedicated facilities, despite having top-tier traditional schools. Otherwise Ghana should consider making the STEM Schools as regional innovation hubs by creating vocational and technical training chances where students from multiple schools spend half their day maximizing use of expensive equipment.

4. Target talent pipeline; feeds local industries with highly skilled carrier-ready graduates. e. Immersive environment; Standalones schools allow tailored curriculum and environment completely focused on innovation,, engineering, and digital skills, free from constraints of traditional academic tracks.

It is reported that highly specialized equipment like robotics kits, advanced physics/chemistry labs, and 3D Printers are incredibly expensive, so Ghana could consider Concentration of high-end resources. Since it may be more financially practical to concentrate these resources in specialized regional hub rather than diluting funds by trying to buy diluting specialized tools for hundreds traditional schools, wiry the likelihood of under-utilization of items .

A STEM Schools is a Center of excellence that can rapidly accelerate technological innovation STEM schools with robotics labs, advanced physics, chemistry and biology labs and modern ICT Centers. So Ghana could consider a Hybrid policy of standalone regional hubs to serve as resource anchors, while existing community schools get upgrade STEM School blocks as a measure to democratizes science education for every child by upgrading existing ordinary schools with STEM, Blocks, labs and equipment if funds are available.

Completion of Kwadaso creative arts SHS

Creative Arts is about a diverse range of human expressions with the use of skills, imaginations and inspirations or original ideas to share feelings, stories and culture value. That is the expression of ideas, emotions and culture values. The branches are (a).Visual Arts: This includes physical and optical works like painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, filmmaking, and architecture. Performing Arts involves live expressions using the body and voice such as music, dance and theater. Literacy Arts comprising written works driven by creative expression including fiction, poetry, drama and prose. The Key benefits include the under listed points.

(a). Self-Expression give people a safe way to share emotions and personal thoughts. b. Cognitive Growth in education, studying subjects like National Council for Curriculum and Assessments (NaCCA) Creative Arts curriculum builds problem solving skills and boost focus. (b).Culture Connection: they preserve local heritage, traditions, and community history through festivals and storytelling.

For the above reasons, Ghana needs a dedicated creative arts SHS to support youth talent and grow Ghana’s creative economy which would greatly in the growth the 24-hour economy. So, the completion of the Kwadaso Creative Arts School inn Kumasi as part of the SHS system is a vital and necessary step for art of the Reset Agenda.

The Kwadaso Creative Arts SHS if completed will be Ghana’s first specialized high school dedicated to creative arts and integrated curriculum that features heavy STEM to hone the talents of the youth (students) in creative arts while receiving a strong formal academic education and technical foundation in creative arts while receiving a strong formal academic education. Efforts should be made include Design Curriculum like Fashion, New Media, and Digital Creative Services.

. The key features include (a). STEM integration features of 12 Specialized Science, and Technology Laboratories (specialized laboratories), to merge with Technical and Scientific Learning with Creative Disciplines.

Key features and facilities include 12 science and Technological laboratories classrooms, auditorium, dormitories with over 500 capacity, dining hall. Staff bungalows and administration block Curriculum includes (a). Dance. (b). Visual Arts, (c). Vocal Music. (d). Instrumental Music, (e). Theater for Acting and Production, (g). Film production, (h). Stage Design and Production,

In November 2025, Ghana’s Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Hon Ms Abla Dzifa Gomashie visited the Site and was very glad with the project which though under the Ministry of Education felt it was very important for her Ministry to see as School that is going to help grow young talents and creative industry at large to boost the creative art industry.

She found it to be 60% complete as such, she promised to lobby with the Sector Minister and Administrator of GETFFUND for the completion of the School. It is almost a year after the visit by the Minister and nothing done about it. Its expected the Chief of Staff or Cabinet would see to the addition of the Kwadaso Creative Arts SHS to be part of the School placement for 2027 academic year.

The of CEO of Grammy Awards, reportedly ready to support with the completion of the School, also the Master Card Foundation and some International Institutions and Embassies or Countries should be lobbied for funding and equipment for the School to form part of the nation’s education system next year for the SHS for placement of students who will be interested or inclined to creative arts.

A lot of global icons in the Music Industry like Fela Ransome Kuti, Lucky Dube, Tim Burton, Lady Gaga, Kanye West, and Jean Michael had to veer after completion of medical school, law school, economy education routes, thus highly traditional academic routes to attend Creative Art Schools or some struggled deeply with traditional academic environment and had to attend Creative Art Schools. So Ghana must create chances for people to hone their talents. So the President of Ghana should complete the Kwadaso Creative Arts SHS.