Bemoaning the quality of education in Ghana: painting the right picture

I have had the privilege of being a student in Ghana at least since 1999. Based on my experience from kindergarten to my current level at the university, I can from all indications without equivocation say Ghana does not have a system of education. I tend to agree with many who argued that the current system can best be described as schooling rather than education

.

For the avoidance of doubt and the purpose of setting the record straight, education is defined by the oxford dictionary as the "process or art of imparting knowledge, skills and judgement (it is worth noting that this definition refers to formal education). As pointed out earlier and based on the above definition, an education is expected to impact students with knowledge, skills and ability to have sound and fair judgement. Can this be said of Ghana's current educational system? Your guess is as good as mine!!! Ghana has failed in this direction.



Ghana has failed as a nation to revise the educational system bequeath on her by the colonial imperialist and in the process lost sight of the fact that the educational system that existed prior to independence was designed to meet the needs and objectives of the colonialist. Though this design in its entirety cannot be said to be irrelevant, there is also no denying the fact that it does not completely meet our needs, demands and aspirations as Ghanians.



Education in Ghana today can best be described as a nice mechanism of training 'messengers'. While I am aware many will refute this claim, it is worth pointing out that this is not just an opinion but a true reflection of the reality on the ground. Education has virtually become a game of "who has the excellent memory". Just as the best linquist to the chief is the one can perfectly and exactly deliver his message to the subjects, so is the best student as far as Ghana's education is concerned. The best student in school is the one who can perfectly and exactly reproduce what he/she has been given as "note" in the classroom during examinations. Students go to lecture halls to listen to lecturers, take (copy) notes and reproduce them in examinations. This is done for four years (in case of university education) after which a Bachelor's Degree is awarded. There are no other proper mechanisms for students to demonstrate their level of understanding or the knowledge gained. Our current system of education is such that one does not need not to understand what is taught, all that matters is reproducing it during examinations. Is this education? Is this not the way of training massagers?



Tertiary students always complain that Ghana's education is too theoretical instead of being practical. I have no objection to these complaints. I agree that a lot must be done to make education more practical for students to showcase the knowledge and skills they have acquired. But, even with our theoretical education, am tempted to ask what theories tertiary students propone these days? Oh I remember. It is theories of past philosophers, scientists, economists, sociologists and others we are forced to memorize to pass exams.



Our educational system has failed to provide students with the skills required by the corporate world. Today, experts have argued that there is a huge gap between what is being taught in lecture halls in our universities (both undergraduate and graduate levels) and the requisite skills as well as the technical competency needed for business. In view of this, students graduate from school without being able to be self employed to develop themselves but to rely on government which has also failed them. Each year, the various tertiary institutions churn out thousands of graduates into the system but life after university has always been daunting for many of these graduates who remain jobless years after school. A report on Ghanaweb on July 20, 2015 indicates that "between 2011 and 2015 for example, the National Service Secretariat deployed a total of 289,539 graduates for their national service, but out of this number, only 5,000 are absorbed into the formal sector, according the National Labour Organization". This is the effect of the country's education. The remaining hopeless has turned to find solace in the formation of Graduates Unemployed Associations. The same reportage reveals that "the membership of the Ghana Unemployed Graduates Association has more than doubled over the last two years, according to figures obtained by the Weekend Finder from the Association". Graduates have totally failed to leave up to expectations; but they cannot be blamed wholly for this. The reason is pretty simple: what employable or industrial skills are students given in the lecture halls? what business orientation is given? You could argue on why we don't then go to technical and vocational institutions, but I tell you, the least said about that sector of our education, the better

.

The worst part of our education system is how students moving from second cycle institutions to tertiary schools are denied admission. One is refused admission simply because he is deemed to have "failed" a subject as a requirement. In Ghana, one is deemed to have "failed" if he is not able to reproduce the "notes" during examinations. But come to think of it, why should one be denied admission if he passes all required subjects and fails one which in most cases has nothing relating to the course he wants to pursue? Should the student ignore all his numerous strength because of a single weakness?



The system where students are only trained to reproduce exactly what they are taught in examination without any practical measure to test their level of understanding, knowledge and skills and more importantly, a system that does not equip graduates with employable, industrial and technical skills needed for employment after studies can best be described as schooling rather than education. Ghana needs reorientation of her educational system. The system must be made more practical and skills oriented. Practical mechanisms such as frequent oral presentations, dialogue among students must be instituted to boost students' understanding. Academic lectures must be combined with business orientations and technical skills required by the corporate world. Thus students must be oriented to realize the corporate world in the lecture halls.



Ayornu A. Ibrahim

[email protected]

0547498090