The initiative, which brings together GETFund, UNESCO, Microsoft, Tablet Academy and other partners, seeks to strengthen teachers' digital competencies, promote the ethical use of AI in education, and prepare students with the skills required to thrive in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

The programme is expected to enhance classroom teaching through AI-powered learning while ensuring that educators remained at the forefront of Ghana's digital transformation agenda.

Speaking at the signing ceremony in Accra, the Administrator of GETFund, Paul Adjei, described the agreement as a milestone that went beyond the signing of a document.

Mr. Adjei explained that as technology continued to reshape industries and redefine the future of work, Ghana could not afford to delay investments in digital education and AI competencies.

He said GETFund would continue to invest strategically in educational infrastructure, human capital development and innovative programmes that expanded access to quality education across the country.

He added that Ghana's future competitiveness would depend largely on its ability to produce graduates who were not only technically competent but also digitally empowered and capable of driving innovation.

He said the collaboration aligned with the country's development agenda and government's vision of transforming TVET into a dynamic and industry-responsive sector capable of meeting the changing demands of the labour market.

Mr Adjei explained that by combining UNESCO's global expertise in education and digital transformation with GETFund's mandate to finance educational development, the partnership would create sustainable investments in digital learning ecosystems, AI education, curriculum development, institutional capacity building and expanded learning opportunities.

He expressed confidence that the initiative would promote innovation, strengthen institutional capacity, foster digital inclusion and ensure that no learner was left behind as emerging technologies continued to transform education.

Microsoft’s Head of Government Affairs for Africa, Akua Gyekye, who addressed the ceremony virtually, said AI had become one of the most transformative technologies shaping education and the world of work.

She stressed that AI's full potential could only be realised when teachers and students possessed the necessary skills and confidence to use it responsibly.

"Our mission is to empower every person and every organisation on the planet to achieve more," she said, adding that Microsoft remained committed to helping education systems to build AI competencies for the future.

Ms. Gyekye stated that AI readiness extended beyond acquiring individual skills, and instead required schools and educators to have practical tools, guidance and safeguards that would enable students to use AI safely, ethically and responsibly.

Describing teachers as "multipliers", she said empowering teachers ultimately meant empowering classrooms and shaping Ghana's future workforce.

The Director of Tablet Academy, Bijay Dhungana, said the programme recognised that successful AI integration in education must begin with teachers.

He explained that educators first needed strong digital foundations before adopting AI tools in classrooms.

Using a driving analogy, he said giving someone a new car without first ensuring they had a driver's licence would not achieve the desired outcome.

Similarly, he said, teachers required digital confidence before they could effectively use AI in teaching.

Mr. Dhungana explained that the programme would begin with a digital skills assessment to determine each teacher's competency level before assigning personalised learning pathways.

Teachers would then undertake Microsoft-accredited courses covering digital literacy and the ethical and effective application of AI in education.

He said Ghana currently had about 140 TVET institutions, and that discussions were ongoing regarding the number of institutions to benefit under the GETFund-supported programme.