'Was I facing union problems everyday when I was in charge, compare and contrast' — Former Education Minister rubbishes criticisms

Former Education Minister Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum has challenged critics to compare the challenges he faced during his tenure with those confronting current Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu.

Responding to concerns about the difficulties facing the education sector under Mr Iddrisu, Dr Adutwum questioned whether his tenure had been free of similar problems.

“My brother, you can measure more than me. Was I facing it basically on a daily basis when I was in charge? So compare and contrast. That is the most important thing,” he said.

Dr Adutwum, who served as Education Minister before the current administration, said his academic and professional background prepared him well for the role.

He described himself as one of the luckiest education ministers, citing his qualifications in education management and teaching, his PhD in education, and his experience building and running schools in the United States.

“I taught school and a master’s in education management, a graduate diploma in teaching, a PhD in education. I built schools in the US. I run schools. So everything about me is education,” he said.

He added that his experience as a deputy education minister for about four years before becoming substantive minister had given him a strong understanding of the sector and the changes needed to improve it.

Dr Adutwum said he did not want to compare himself directly with other education ministers, arguing that his background and experience could make his record different from that of others.