The Co-founder of Lead Afrique, Michael Ohene-Effah believes Ghana would be on the path of progress within the next six years if only the values of the Ghanaian society are inculcated into children at a young age.
He observed that poor attitudes displayed by most Ghanaians retard the country’s progress.
Ohene-Effah who is also an international development consultant and transformational speaker noted that Ghana can only make positive gains if Ghana’s school systems are re-engineered to make it “fit for purpose.”
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Tuesday, he said, “Everybody within the ecosystem must understand that this is what we are doing and there are several models and initiative around the world that Ghana can easily customize and make it its own and we can change Ghana in six years. We believe that, if we all put our shoulders to the bill, the schools, churches, homes are working on it and the media is putting that agenda, in six years, we can turn this country around,” he said.
Mr. Ohene-Effah further suggested that there should be a change in the Ghanaian school system as this fails to inculcate into the child the right values for growth.
“The school system must be re-engineered. Our current education system is not fit for purpose. It is not producing the Ghanaians that we need to run Ghana and so we must go back in instilling value, integrity, patriotism, and hard work [into the children]. The kind of things we want to see in Ghana, we must go back and put that at the centre of our education. The children, teachers, and school staff must all live the values in their daily lives. So for example, if you want children that are respectful, teachers must respect children. You cannot just expect children to be respectful when teachers are insulting them and being rude to them,” he stated.
Ohene-Effah made the remark on the Citi Breakfast Show when the team was discussing the need for an identity for Ghana.
New syllabus won’t go contrary to Ghana’s cultural values
The Minister of Education, Matthew Opoku Prempeh had earlier said subjects that go contrary to the cultural values, norms and religious sensitivities of the country will not be accepted in the new school curriculum.
This came after fears that the new curriculum which was to be introduced last year included subjects such as Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE).
After several criticisms from religious groups, Civil Society Organizations, traditional leaders, politicians, as well as the public over the CSE subject, the government assured the citizens that no subject which will go contrary to the norm in Ghana will be introduced.
At a recent stakeholder engagement by the Ministry of Education on the in-school reproductive health education, Mr Opoku Prempeh said the government’s position on the matter had not changed.