The Parliamentary Select Committee on Education paid a working visit to the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences (GAAS) on Wednesday, 8th July 2026, at the Academy’s Secretariat in Accra. The visit provided an opportunity for the Committee to engage with leadership of the Academy on its mandate, programmes, contributions to national development and areas for enhanced collaboration. The Committee was led by its Chairman, Hon. Peter Nortsu-Kotoe, and was received by the President of the Academy, Emerita Professor Isabella Akyinbah Quakyi, FGA.
Welcoming the delegation, Emerita Professor Quakyi thanked the Committee for the visit and noted that it provided an opportunity to strengthen collaboration between Parliament and the Academy in advancing national development. She presented an overview of the Academy’s history, mandate and programmes, highlighting its flagship lectures, strategic partnerships, contributions to national development and ongoing initiatives. She also outlined challenges facing the Academy, including inadequate funding, rising utility costs and the need for support towards the renovation of the Academy’s building.
During the discussions, Hon. Peter Nortsu-Kotoe encouraged the Academy to broaden its engagement with Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), while the Ranking Member, Hon. Yaw Osei Adutwum, advocated greater involvement of Fellows in national education policy through the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) and the governing councils of newly established universities.
Professor Ivan Addae-Mensah, FGA, observed that the Academy’s school outreach lecture programme had been limited due to inadequate funding and called for the revival of the Parliamentary–GAAS engagement and the Fellows’ Parliamentary Briefing.
In his closing remarks, Hon. Peter Nortsu-Kotoe encouraged the Academy to submit its budgetary needs to the Parliamentary Select Committee on Education to facilitate parliamentary advocacy for the necessary support. He also emphasised the need to recognise and support Fellows of the Academy for their invaluable contributions to national development.
The President of the Academy thanked the Committee for the visit and the fruitful discussions and expressed the Academy’s commitment to strengthening collaboration with Parliament in advancing education, research and national development.
The Parliamentary delegation comprised Hon. Peter Nortsu-Kotoe (Chairman), Hon. Joseph Kwame Kumah (Vice Chairman), Hon. Abdul-Fatawu Alhassan (Member of Parliament for Yendi), Hon. Yaw Osei Adutwum (Ranking Member), Hon. Mustapha Ussif (Deputy Ranking Member), other Members of Parliament serving on the Parliamentary Select Committee on Education, and officials of Parliament. The Academy was represented by Emerita Professor Isabella Akyinbah Quakyi, FGA (President), Professor George Obeng Adjei, FGA (Honorary Secretary), Professor Peter Quartey, FGA (Honorary Treasurer), Emerita Professor Elizabeth Ardayfio-Schandorf, FGA (Former Vice President, Arts Section), Professor Ivan Addae-Mensah, FGA (Former Vice President, Science Section), Emeritus Professor Jacob Songsore, FGA, Mr Daniel Hormeku (Executive Secretary), and Senior members of staff of the Academy.
