UEW to Host Maiden Edition of the Jophus Anamuah-Mensah Annual Public Lecture on TVET Transformation in Africa
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release10th March, 2026
UEW to Host Maiden Edition of the Jophus Anamuah-Mensah Annual Public Lecture on TVET Transformation in Africa
The University of Education, Winneba (UEW) will host the maiden edition of the Jophus Anamuah-Mensah Annual Public Lecture on TVET Transformation in Africa on Friday, 27th March 2026, at the Jophus Anamuah-Mensah Conference Centre in Winneba. The Education and Skills Development (ESDEV) Foundation Africa convenes the Lecture in partnership with leading academic and national institutions to establish a lasting continental platform for dialogue on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).
The Lecture honours the enduring contributions of Prof. Jophus Anamuah-Mensah, former Vice-Chancellor of UEW and one of Africa’s leading education reformers whose visionary leadership continues to shape teacher education and educational policies and develop skills across Ghana and beyond.
As Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Jophus Anamuah-Mensah played a transformative role in strengthening UEW’s identity as Africa’s first university dedicated solely to teacher education. Under his leadership, the University expanded access through open and distance learning, strengthened its academic mission and positioned itself as a prominent voice in educational research and policy development. His tenure was marked by institutional consolidation, strengthened research culture and increased national relevance within Ghana’s development agenda.
Beyond institutional leadership, he chaired Ghana’s landmark 2002 Education Reform Committee which integrated Early Childhood Education into the formal school system and positioned TVET as a critical pillar of national development. His advocacy for competency-based training, science and technology education, inclusivity and access to quality learning continues to influence reforms across Africa.
The Annual Public Lecture is conceived as both a celebratory and a forward-looking platform aligned with Africa’s transformation agenda including Agenda 2063 and continental strategies that prioritise skills development, industrialisation and youth employment.
The event will bring together policymakers, industry leaders, academics, university administrators, development partners and youth representatives from across Africa to reflect on progress, exchange innovations and generate actionable recommendations to strengthen national and continental TVET systems. The outcomes are anticipated to inform ongoing policy discussions within African Union member states and related continental institutions.
Hosting the Lecture at the Jophus Anamuah-Mensah Conference Centre carries symbolic significance, honouring the foundational leadership of the University’s first Vice-Chancellor who served from 1998 to 2007. During this period, Prof. Anamuah-Mensah played a pivotal role in consolidating UEW’s institutional identity and advancing its mission in teacher education and national development.
The Maiden Lecture will feature a Keynote Address by eminent scholar and higher education leader, Prof. Clifford N. B. Tagoe, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, whose reflections will provide strategic insight into the evolving role of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Africa’s development agenda.
Through this initiative, the platform will further strengthen UEW’s role as a catalyst for educational reforms and sustainable development in Ghana and across Africa, while celebrating the continuing influence of Prof. Jophus Anamuah-Mensah on education policy, practice and innovation. We extend a formal invitation to you to participate in this distinguished lecture. Your presence would contribute to the occasion's significance.
Signed
Mrs. Ekua Abedi-Boafo
Registrar
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About the University of Education, Winneba
The University of Education, Winneba is recognised as Ghana’s foremost institution for teacher education. It is dedicated to the rigorous preparation of professional educators while advancing research initiatives, fostering policy innovation and promoting inclusive skills development aimed at contributing to national and continental transformation.
