The Asantehene, His Majesty Otumfuor Osei Tutu II, President John Dramani Mahama, and former Vice-President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia are among the high-profile personalities expected to grace a grand educational summit at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi.
The summit, organised by the Faculty of Educational Studies Students’ Association (FESSA) in partnership with Thomport Travel and Tour Company Limited, is scheduled for Friday, October 30, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. at the KNUST Great Hall.
Under the theme “Beyond the Classroom: Reimagining Youth Development for Leadership, Responsibility, and Nation Building,” the event seeks to stimulate national conversations on the role of education, leadership, and youth responsibility in shaping Ghana’s future.
The gathering is expected to bring together prominent figures from politics, education, business, security, and public administration to engage students and other stakeholders on youth empowerment, leadership development, and national transformation.
Other distinguished personalities expected at the summit include Ashanti Regional Minister Dr. Frank Amoakohene; Minister for Education Haruna Iddrisu; former Education Minister and Bosomtwe MP Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum; former Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu; and National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia.
The list of invited personalities also includes Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, Bryan Acheampong, and Dr. Louisa Hannah Bisiw-Kotei, Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Development Fund.
Their participation is expected to enrich discussions on governance, education policy, youth leadership and the responsibilities of public officeholders in advancing national development.
The summit will also bring together key figures from Ghana’s security and academic institutions, including Lieutenant General William Agyapong, Chief of Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces; COP Christian Tetteh Yohuno, Inspector-General of Police; KNUST Vice-Chancellor Professor Christian Agyare; and former KNUST Vice-Chancellor Professor Rita Akosua Dickson.
Their expected presence highlights the importance of connecting classroom education with practical leadership, discipline, institutional responsibility and service to the nation.
The business community will also be represented by prominent entrepreneurs, including Ibrahim Mahama, Chief Executive Officer of Engineers and Planners; Osei Kwame, Chief Executive Officer of Despite Group of Companies; Dr. Daniel McKorley, Chief Executive Officer of McDan Group; and Thomas Agyapong, Chief Executive Officer of Thomport Travel and Tour Company Limited.
Their involvement is expected to provide opportunities for conversations about entrepreneurship, job creation, innovation, mentorship and the private sector’s role in preparing young people for the world of work.
Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts Abla Dzifa Gomashie and Hawa Koomson, the NPP Women’s Organizer who is also a former MP for Awutu Senya East are among the personalities expected at the gathering.
FESSA President Prince Adu Amoateng and Joshua Mensah, KSI Manager of Thomport Travel and Tour Company Limited, are also scheduled to feature in the summit.
At the heart of the summit is a call to rethink youth development beyond formal classroom instruction and academic qualifications.
The organisers are seeking to encourage meaningful engagement among students, policymakers, educators, business leaders and other stakeholders on how young people can develop the values, skills and sense of responsibility required to contribute meaningfully to Ghana’s development.
The discussions are expected to focus on the relationship between education and leadership, the role of young people in nation building, and the need to prepare the next generation to take up positions of responsibility across different sectors of society.
For students and young professionals, the summit presents an opportunity to interact with influential national figures, gain insights into leadership and governance, and explore pathways to personal development and professional success.
With its theme placing youth development at the centre of the national conversation, the KNUST grand educational summit seeks to reinforce a compelling message: Building Ghana’s future requires more than classroom knowledge; it demands responsible leadership, practical skills, active citizenship and a commitment to national development.
