Ghana and Japan have renewed their commitment to human resource development through the continued support of the Human Resource Development Scholarship (JDS) program.
The Ministry of Finance (MoF) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed a new Grant Agreement in Accra to keep the program running.
The agreement was signed by JICA Executive Senior Vice President Ms. Miyazaki Katsura and Ghana’s Finance Minister, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson.
The JDS program, which began in 2012, offers fully funded scholarships to young Ghanaian public officials to study for Master’s and Ph.D. degrees in top Japanese universities.
The goal is to train future leaders who will help improve Ghana’s public sector.
“Japan’s own development story shows that investing in human capital is the most powerful driver of national progress,” said Ms Miyazaki . “The JDS program builds on that principle and offers participants unique insights into Japan’s modernization experience and its contributions to Asia’s growth”.
So far, 130 Ghanaians have benefited from the program. Of those, 103 have completed their studies and returned home to work in various sectors. Currently, 27 are in Japan, with 13 more set to join them this year.
They are studying in areas like Economics, Public Administration, Health, and International Relations.
Dr. Ato Forson praised the program, saying, “this partnership is not only about education; it’s about building a new generation of skilled leaders who will shape Ghana’s future.”
The announcement comes ahead of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) in August. JICA says the JDS program plays an important role in promoting shared growth and learning between Japan and Africa.
Ghana|Atinkaonline.com| Prince Kwame Kudogah