President John Dramani Mahama has reaffirmed his government’s commitment to transforming Ghana’s education system from one focused solely on expanding access to one that prioritises practical skills, technical training, and job readiness, speaking at a ceremony where he received an honorary doctorate from the Patrice Lumumba Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University).
The honour, conferred on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, recognises President Mahama’s public service and his commitment to education and international cooperation . The ceremony was led by RUDN Rector Professor Oleg A. Yastrebov and attended by members of the university’s Board and Academic Council, Ghana’s Minister of Defence Kenneth Agyei, members of the President’s delegation, the diplomatic corps, faculty, and students .
The conferment came during President Mahama’s visit to Moscow for the Third Russia-Africa Summit, where he is also scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin .
A Return After Four Decades
For President Mahama, the ceremony carried deep personal significance. Nearly forty years after studying in Russia as a postgraduate student, he returned to the campus where his own academic journey took shape.
“Honestly, an individual receives an honour such as this seldom by their own work alone. I therefore receive this honorary doctorate with appreciation to the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia and with deep gratitude to the people of Ghana, whose confidence in me has given meaning to my decades of public service,” he said .
The university, named after Congolese independence leader Patrice Lumumba, holds particular resonance for Ghana. President Mahama noted the close alignment between Lumumba’s legacy and that of Ghana’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, whose conviction was that African freedom must extend beyond raising national flags to true independence .
“Our responsibility as present-day African leaders is to give practical expression to that aspiration of our forebears,” he said, adding that this must be reflected in the quality of schools, the strength of institutions, and the opportunities created for young people .
Skills Over Credentials
At the heart of President Mahama’s address was a clear message: expanding access to education is necessary but insufficient. Quality and relevance must follow.
He highlighted a suite of government interventions aimed at widening access—including Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education, the School Feeding Programme, Free Senior High School, the No-Fee Stress policy, and support for students with disabilities—but stressed that these must be matched by efforts to equip students with practical competencies .
“We are committed to strengthening technical and vocational training, scientific research and digital skills. Expanding access must go hand in hand with improving quality and ensuring that what students learn equips them for the demands of work and citizenship,” he stated .
The President argued that a university qualification should do more than signal completion of a course of study. “A university qualification should give its holder the confidence to ask searching questions and the ability to solve real-world problems,” he said .
He called for closer collaboration among universities, industry, and government to ensure that research translates into practical solutions and that graduates acquire skills that contribute meaningfully to national development .
New Scholarship, New Partnerships
Rector Yastrebov used the occasion to announce the establishment of a scholarship named after Patrice Lumumba, under which seven students would be supported each year. He described RUDN as “a friend of Africa, a leading expert centre” on issues related to the continent, and a place “where cultures meet, ideas are shared and bridges are built between countries and peoples” .
President Mahama welcomed discussions on a proposed Russian-African studies programme and an invitation for outstanding Ghanaian students to pursue specialised studies at RUDN. He expressed appreciation for Russian government scholarships awarded to Ghanaian students and advocated stronger partnerships between Ghanaian and Russian institutions through student and faculty exchanges, joint research, and professional training in engineering, medicine, and energy .
The Broader Agenda
The honorary doctorate from RUDN is the second such honour President Mahama received during his Moscow visit, following a conferment by the Russian University of Transport. Together, they underscore a deliberate emphasis on skills, infrastructure, and human capital that has defined his administration’s education agenda.
In May 2026, President Mahama addressed the Fourth Biennial Applied Research Conference of Technical Universities in Takoradi, where he pledged GHS 10 million to each of Ghana’s ten public technical universities in the 2027 budget to expand infrastructure and upgrade laboratories. He also announced plans for two new technical universities in Jasikan and Techiman, and a new University of Science and Technology in the Savannah Region .
At that conference, he was blunt about the stakes: “Technical Universities must thus create the strategic national platforms to change the country’s future, where successes connected perfectly with education and industry needs” .
Addressing students at RUDN, President Mahama offered a parting charge that echoed that same emphasis on purpose and integrity.
“You are the living expression of this university’s mission. The friendships you form here and the habits of thought you develop will travel with you long after you have graduated,” he said. “Above all, protect your integrity; the trust of those you serve is a responsibility that no academic distinction can replace” .
