Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu urges Ghanaian tertiary institutions to treat cybersecurity as a national security and governance priority amid rising cyber threats

Mr Haruna Iddrisu, Ghana’s Minister of Education, has called on tertiary institutions to approach cybersecurity not merely as a technical concern but as a critical governance and national security issue.

Speaking at the National Cybersecurity Education Conference in Accra, he emphasised the need for collective action to ensure a safe, trusted, and accountable academic environment free from cyber threats.

The conference, themed “Empowering Higher Education for Cyber Resilience and Digital Rights,” was organised by the Cyber Security Authority (CSA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation, and the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC).

Mr Iddrisu revealed that the Ministry was working closely with the CSA to establish an education sector Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) to detect, coordinate, and respond to cyber incidents within educational institutions.

He warned that cyber bleeding, admission fraud, and attempts to manipulate grades or forge certificates could undermine trust, damage lives, and compromise the credibility of Ghana’s education system.

“We are committed to creating an educational system for students with cybersecurity awareness and digital rights literacy, while securing the digital infrastructure of our institutions,” Mr Iddrisu said.

Citing Microsoft’s October 2024 cybersecurity report, he highlighted that the education sector remained particularly vulnerable due to the volume of sensitive data handled, including health records, financial information, and other regulated data.

The Minister stressed the need to prioritise and strengthen security measures across schools and colleges and noted that the Ministry was reviewing its ICT in education policy to foster a digitally inclusive and safe learning environment.

He expressed the Ministry’s vision for every student, regardless of discipline, whether in business, nursing, engineering, or the arts, to graduate with a grounding in cybersecurity and data ethics.

Mr Iddrisu also urged the integration of cybersecurity principles into digital lending to boost safety and trust. He highlighted ongoing efforts with GTEC to establish a national cybersecurity competency and qualification framework.

Acting Director-General of the CSA, Mr Divine Selase Agbeti, said the Authority was committed, alongside stakeholders, to building a future where Ghana’s digital transformation remained secure, informed, and accountable.

He noted that global cybercrime was projected to reach $10.5 trillion by the end of 2025, making it one of the largest transfers of economic wealth in history.