NAPO Reflects on His Most Challenging Political Role as Education Minister

Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, popularly known as NAPO, has described his tenure as Minister of Education as the most challenging period of his political career.

In a recent interview with Umaru Sanda on Channel One, the former Minister shared insights into the distinct demands of his roles at both the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Energy.

“Serving as Minister of Education was a tough assignment,” NAPO admitted, acknowledging the immense pressure that came with managing such a high-stakes sector. “It wasn’t an enjoyable experience because of how demanding the role was, but it was also incredibly impactful. I left with the satisfaction of having introduced meaningful changes to the sector.”

As Education Minister, NAPO spearheaded the landmark Free Senior High School policy, which greatly expanded access to secondary education for many students. While the initiative was widely praised for increasing enrollment, it also presented significant logistical and financial challenges, making it one of his most demanding tasks.

“The scale of the work and the stakes involved made it more demanding than my time at the Ministry of Energy,” NAPO reflected. He noted that the broad scope of the Education Ministry, with its direct impact on millions of students, parents, and educators, made it uniquely difficult to navigate.

By contrast, his tenure at the Ministry of Energy was marked by efforts to stabilize the power supply and improve access to energy in underserved areas. Though the Energy Ministry posed its own challenges, NAPO found it to be more technical and manageable in comparison to the multi-layered responsibilities of overseeing the nation’s education system.

Despite the difficulties faced in both roles, NAPO expressed pride in his contributions. “I believe I was able to bring innovative perspectives to both roles, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve,” he concluded, reflecting on the impact of his leadership in shaping key policies.