Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang
FGA
|
|
|---|---|
Official portrait, 2020
|
|
| 8th Vice President of Ghana | |
| Assumed office 7 January 2025 |
|
| President | John Mahama |
| Preceded by | Mahamudu Bawumia |
| Minister for Education | |
| In office February 2013 – January 2017 |
|
| President | John Mahama |
| Preceded by | Lee Ocran |
| Succeeded by | Matthew Opoku Prempeh |
| Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast | |
| In office 2008–2012 |
|
| Preceded by | Emmanuel Addow-Obeng |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Jane Naana Sam
22 November 1951 Cape Coast, Ghana |
| Political party | National Democratic Congress |
| Spouse | Edmund Opoku-Agyemang |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater |
|
| Occupation | Academic |
| Profession | Educationist, educator |
Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang (born Jane Naana Sam on 22 November 1951) is an important Ghanaian academic and politician. She is currently the eighth Vice President of Ghana. She started this role on 7 January 2025, working with President John Mahama.
Before becoming Vice President, she was the Minister for Education from 2013 to 2017. She is also a professor of literature. She made history as the first woman to be a Vice-Chancellor of a state university in Ghana, at the University of Cape Coast.
In 2020, she was chosen as John Mahama's running mate for the presidential election. She was chosen again in 2024 and they won, making her Ghana's first female Vice President. People celebrate her for breaking barriers in education and politics in Ghana.
Contents
Early Life and School
Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang was born in Cape Coast, Ghana, on 22 November 1951. Her birth name was Jane Naana Sam. She belongs to the Fante ethnic group.
She went to Anglican Girls' School and Aburi Presby Girls' School. For her secondary education, she attended Wesley Girls' Senior High School in Cape Coast from 1964 to 1971.
She earned her first degree in English and French from the University of Cape Coast in 1977. She also studied French at the Cheikh Anta Diop University in Senegal. Later, she got her master's and doctorate degrees from York University in Canada, in 1980 and 1986.
Her Career Journey
Academic Work
Opoku-Agyemang started teaching and working at the University of Cape Coast in 1986. She held many important roles there. These included Head of the English Department and Dean of the Faculty of Arts. She was also the first Dean of the School of Graduate Studies and Research.
From 2008 to 2012, she served as the university's Vice-Chancellor. She was the first woman to hold this top position at a state university in Ghana.
In 2007, she was one of five experts chosen to speak at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. This was for the 200th Anniversary of the Abolition of Slavery. In 2009, she was elected to represent Ghana on the board of UNESCO. This is the United Nations organization for education, science, and culture.
She also served as Chancellor of the Women's University in Africa, located in Zimbabwe, starting in 2018.
As an Author
Opoku-Agyemang is also a writer. She focuses on literature, especially about women from Ghana. She also writes about oral literature in Ghana and Africa. She has published articles in academic journals and spoken at many conferences.
In 2015, while she was Education Minister, she released a five-book series of folktales. The collection was titled "Who Told the most incredible story?"
Her Political Path
Minister for Education
From February 2013 to January 2017, Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang was Ghana's Minister of Education. President John Dramani Mahama appointed her after his party won the 2012 election.
During her time as minister, she worked to make education better for everyone. She wanted to improve quality, make it fair, and easier to access across Ghana.
One of her big achievements was starting the Inclusive Education Policy in 2015. This policy helped children with special needs get a good education alongside other students. It aimed to give everyone equal chances in Ghana's schools.
She also focused on helping girls and promoting gender equality in education. Her leadership led to policies that reduced differences between boys and girls in schools. These policies helped more girls enroll and stay in school. Her efforts created more opportunities for young women in Ghana.
She also changed 10 polytechnic colleges into technical universities. This was a big step that improved these schools. It helped students get practical skills for jobs. This change made Ghana's education system more modern and useful.
Opoku-Agyemang also started building 124 Community Day Senior High Schools, called "E-Blocks." These schools aimed to provide more access to high school education in areas that needed it. By the end of her term, 50 schools were finished. They had modern facilities like science labs and computer centers. This greatly expanded education chances, especially in rural areas.
She also oversaw the completion of buildings at the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS). This included a science school and student housing. She also helped set up the University of Environment and Sustainable Development (UESD). She worked to get the law passed and secure money for the university.
Vice Presidential Campaign
On 6 July 2020, Opoku-Agyemang was chosen as the running mate for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) party. This was for Ghana's December 2020 General elections. She became the first woman to be a running mate for one of Ghana's two main political parties. Many women's groups praised her selection. They saw it as a positive step for gender balance in Ghanaian politics.
She asked Ghanaians to vote for change. She promised to use her role as Vice President to help with long-term development. She also promised to create policies that would help young people. Her campaign focused on positive messages, without attacking her opponents. Her hard work in coastal areas and her home region helped the NDC win many areas they had lost before.
On 7 March 2024, the NDC officially chose her again as the running mate for the 2024 general elections.
Opoku-Agyemang became the Vice President-elect after John Mahama won the 2024 presidential election.
On 7 January 2025, she was sworn in as the Vice President of Ghana. This made her the first woman to hold this high office in Ghana's history. The ceremony took place in Accra.
Professional Groups
Opoku-Agyemang is a member of many important groups. These include the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences and the University Teachers Association of Ghana. She is also part of the African Studies Association in the United States and the International Fulbright Scholars Association.
Her Family Life
Opoku-Agyemang is a Christian and worships with the Methodist Church.
She was married to Edmund Opoku-Agyemang, who was also an academic. They have three children: Kweku, Kwabena, and Maame Adwoa Opoku-Agyemang. She also has two grandchildren.
Awards and Honors
Opoku-Agyemang has received special honorary degrees from the University of the West Indies and Winston-Salem University. She also got an award for Global leadership from the University of South Florida in Tampa.
In 2011, President John Atta Mills gave her the Officer of the Order of the Volta award for her excellent academic work. She also received the Ghana Women of Excellence Award in Education. This was for her contributions to improving education in Ghana. She was recognized twice for her outstanding work in international education by the School for International Training in the USA.
In 2020, she was named one of the 40 Most Inspirational Female Leaders in Ghana. This was because she serves as a role model for women in Ghana and across Africa. In January 2023, she was listed among the 100 most reputable Africans.
Images for kids
-
In Spanish: Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang for children
