By Ernest Nutsugah
Accra, Oct. 30, GNA – The Founder of the African University College of Communications, Mr Kojo Yankah, has called for a national dialogue on making the country’s educational system relevant to national development.
He believed the education system in Ghana and Africa was still euro-centric and unable to solve the nation’s economic challenges.
Speaking at the R.T Orleans-Pobee Memorial Lectures, organised by the Adisadel Old Boys Association in Accra, he said educational reforms throughout the years had not “touched the roots of our problems, hence the need to make the study of African history and heritage the bedrock of education at all levels”.
“After 66 years of political independence, my observation is that we have not been able to conduct our education and politics well enough to liberate ourselves economically to avoid the majority of our own people drowning in poverty.”
“Our post-colonial education system has not been re-designed to liberate us economically and we are only celebrating achievements that have helped to oil the economic fortunes of other countries other than Ghana,” he stated.
He spoke on the theme: “Is today’s education relevant?”
Mr Yankah quoted other writers and speakers, and said, “the goal of western education was to expose Africans to a superior culture,” at the expense of “our own indigenous culture”.
The Pan-Africanist said indigenous knowledge and proverbs in all Ghanaian languages should be taught in primary and secondary schools because it was the ideas of the people themselves that built a nation.
He said patriotism and indigenous knowledge were missing in the educational system and that emphasis should be placed on moral values and problem solving skills.
“Problem solving has not been given its rightful place in our consciousness as a people. Problem solving should not be a talking shop, but it should be the basis of assessment of all our graduates.
” It is time to make Ghanaian or African heritage, history and culture the bedrock of our entire educational system; there lies our road to self-identity,” he stated.
“Our country was founded on the principal of Pan-Africanism so, why cant we teach that in our basic schools and save ourselves from seeing other Africans as rivals or strangers?
Stressing the importance of Pan-African education, Mr Yankah said national quiz programmes should focus on solving “tangible problems” instead of simply giving schools bragging rights after the contest.
He said whereas colonial education made Ghanaians and Africans consider traditional religion and culture as evil, other nations such as Indians took their traditional religion and culture with them wherever they went.
He expressed worry about Ghana losing professionals to other nations while it continued to battle a myriad of social and economic challenges.
“As a country we have not recognised our innovators and creatives well enough, our national awards go to politicians, but these awards should go to innovators in primary, secondary schools.
” We should stop awarding ourselves as politicians whose duty is to serve the nation and look out for the young potentials for public mention and support,” he said.
To that end, Mr Yankah, a member of the Adisadel 1964 Year Group, said he would make proposals to his alma mater to develop programmes that would challenge students to be creative.
Professor Harold Amonoo-Kuofi, Founding Dean, University of Cape Coast School of Medical Sciences, who chaired the occasion, supported Mr Yankah’s position and said it was time to “anchor our education in our own traditions and values as a country” .
The session brought together members of the Association, who also shared their perspectives on the subject.
Dr. Daniel Owuriedu, Global President, Adisadel Old Boys Association, said suggestions would be compiled and implemented beyond the lecture, which was held for the first time since 2019.
GNA