A call to action has been made for a radical, culturally driven, and innovative education revolution in Africa, starting with Ghana.
According to Ing. Peter Godslove Debrah, the current education system is rooted in colonial legacies and fails to empower African youth to reach their full potential.
The existing education model prioritizes foreign history, languages, and ideas over African identity, culture, and innovation. This approach, according to him, has led to a system where young people are taught to memorize foreign concepts, speak borrowed languages, and master imported ideas, while neglecting Africa’s rich natural resources and talent.
Speaking on The Spotlight show on Movement TV with Isaac Otoo, Ing. Debrah emphasizes that the education system should focus on empowering youth to innovate, master their environment, and rise through understanding their land, language, and resources. He points out that countries like Singapore, China, Japan, and Korea have successfully developed education systems that prioritize local languages, practical skills, and national interests.
In these countries, practical skills and local languages are valued over foreign languages and theoretical knowledge. For instance, India’s best welders are internationally certified and respected, despite not speaking English fluently. Similarly, China, Japan, and Korea dominate engineering and IT without forcing their people to abandon their native tongues.
Ing. Debrah argues that Ghana must lead the way in this education revolution. He proposes incorporating practical knowledge of coding, robotics, engineering, and entrepreneurship into the curriculum. Additionally, he suggests teaching in local languages, starting from the basic level, and aligning education with African culture and national interests.”We should stop training our people to master our colonial masters’ languages”.
The ultimate goal is to rewire the curriculum, upgrade priorities, and refocus education to market African potential. He concludes that the time for change is now, and it requires a radical education revolution that empowers African youth to build systems that sustain them, rather than training them to work for systems that exploit them.
By adopting this approach, Ghana can pave the way for a new generation of innovators, entrepreneurs, and leaders who are equipped to drive development and growth in Africa. The question is, will Ghana take the lead in this education revolution and unlock the potential of its youth?
