MEST Africa, CENDLOS, and Mastercard Foundation Host 3rd EdTech Stakeholder Forum to Advance Ghana’s National EdTech Strategy
Accra, Ghana — September 10, 2025 — Ghana’s education stakeholders convened at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) for the 3rd National EdTech Stakeholder Forum, hosted by the Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST Africa) and the Centre for National Distance Learning and Open Schooling (CENDLOS), in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning (CITL).
Building on the achievements of the last two forums organised by MEST Africa and the Mastercard Foundation as part of the EdTech Mondays platform dialogues, the 2025 edition aligned discussions with Ghana’s National EdTech Strategy. CENDLOS, as the key government body overseeing EdTech coordination and ICT integration in education, is leading initiatives to enhance teaching, learning, and workforce preparedness through innovative technology-led solutions. The forum addressed ongoing barriers to quality education access, especially in underserved areas, by promoting student-centred approaches, teacher empowerment, and the transition of Ghana from Artificial Intelligence (AI) consumers to creators.
In his keynote address, Hon. Dr. Clement Apaak, Deputy Minister for Education, emphasised that educational technology is no longer an option but a necessity. He stated, “It is central to how we prepare our young people not just to survive, but to thrive, in a fast-changing world.”
This event is a key part of the EdTech Mondays platform, which raises awareness and facilitates discussions on harnessing the power of technology in teaching and learning to improve the relevance and quality of education across Africa.
“This platform offers another opportunity to strengthen our collective readiness for the future of work. Together with Mastercard Foundation and CENDLOS, we are ensuring EdTech becomes central to national development,” said Femi Adewumi, Programs Director, MEST Africa
EdTech Stakeholders, comprising policymakers, EdTech Entrepreneurs, Educators, and Development Partners, proposed the following key action points.
- Strategic alignment and collaboration across all sectors to unify and align existing EdTech policies.
- Creating a unified EdTech framework validated by all key stakeholders.
- Expanding access nationwide and ensuring an inclusive strategy that addresses barriers to disability, gender, and location while prioritising and promoting local EdTech solutions.
“The EdTech Stakeholder Forum demonstrates the power of collective action in shaping the future of education in Ghana. By bringing together government, innovators, educators, and partners, we are building a strong foundation for the National EdTech Strategy. This platform is not just about dialogue — it is about driving real solutions that leverage technology, digital learning, and artificial intelligence to expand access, empower teachers, and equip our young people with the skills to thrive in the future world of work,” said Dr. Diyawu Mumin, Executive Director of Centre for National Distance Learning and Open Schooling (CENDLOS).
The forum featured roundtable discussions and partner addresses, providing a platform for stakeholders to share their experiences and contribute ideas for the future of EdTech in Ghana.
The Mastercard Foundation reaffirmed its commitment to working with Ghanaian stakeholders to ensure that technology enhances learning outcomes for all. The forum concluded with networking and collaboration sessions to sustain momentum for the National EdTech Strategy.
“Over the last five years, we have supported and continue to support the strengthening of an African EdTech ecosystem to enable young people across the continent to gain the right skills through education to set them on a path to dignified and fulfilling work. The Mastercard Foundation Young Africa Works strategy in Ghana seeks to enable three million young Ghanaians (70 per cent women) to access work they see as dignified and fulfilling by 2030. For this to happen, there is a need to lay a firm educational foundation. This explains why our EdTech Mondays platform serves as a convener of these dialogues that have birthed forums like the EdTech Stakeholders Forum in Ghana”, said Rica Rwigamba, Ghana’s Country Director at the Mastercard Foundation.
The forum concluded with networking and collaboration sessions to sustain momentum for the National EdTech Strategy.
For more information about the EdTech Stakeholder Forum and upcoming initiatives, please visit.
For media inquiries, contact:
Francis Akondor
—
About MEST Africa
Established in 2008, the Meltwater Foundation is the non-profit arm of the global media intelligence company, Meltwater. Its mission is to create job opportunities and drive economic growth in Africa through software entrepreneurship, primarily via the Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST Africa). Based in Accra, Ghana, MEST offers a one-year, specialised tech entrepreneurial training program for top talent from over 22 countries, including Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, and Senegal. Additionally, MEST invests in early to growth-stage startups.
In 2020, MEST Programs was launched to forge partnerships with other foundations and organisations that share our goal of creating wealth and jobs in Africa through digital skills training and startup acceleration. MEST Africa has trained over 2,000 entrepreneurs and invested in more than 90 startups across various industries throughout Africa.
Visit www.meltwater.org to learn more.
About Centre for National Distance Learning and Open Schooling (CENDLOS)
CENDLOS is the agency of the Ministry of Education responsible for driving open, distance, and technology-enabled learning in Ghana. As the national focal body for EdTech and digital innovation in education, CENDLOS is dedicated to making quality learning accessible, inclusive, and future-ready for all learners, regardless of their location or circumstances.
We design, promote, and coordinate cutting-edge educational technologies that transform teaching, empower educators, and equip learners with the digital skills needed to thrive in a technology-driven world.
Visit www.cendlos.gov.gh to learn more.
About the Mastercard Foundation
The Mastercard Foundation is a registered Canadian charity and one of the largest foundations in the world. It works with visionary organisations to advance education and financial inclusion to enable young people in Africa and Indigenous youth in Canada to access dignified and fulfilling work. Established in 2006 through the generosity of Mastercard when it became a public company, the Foundation is an independent organisation separate from the company, with offices in Toronto, Kigali, Accra, Nairobi, Kampala, Lagos, Dakar, and Addis Ababa. Its policies, operations, and program decisions are determined by the Foundation’s Board of Directors and leadership.
For more information on the Foundation, please visit www.mastercardfdn.org
About the Mastercard Foundation Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning
The Mastercard Foundation Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning drives the innovative use of technology to improve access to quality education, particularly for the most underserved communities. The Centre works with a range of actors — including innovation hubs, EdTech entrepreneurs, policymakers, researchers, educators, and learners — to support the effective and impactful integration of technology in education, including the development, deployment and scale-up of promising EdTech innovations that boost learning and strengthen the education system.
For more information about the Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning, visit:
https://mastercardfdn.org/all/centre-for-innovative-teaching-and-learning-in-ict/
