Redefining Education: Powering the Digital Economy (Intl. Ed.)
By Sammy CRABBE
We have discussed transforming our public universities via international collaborations, revamping technical and vocational training programs, supporting private institutions of higher learning, and establishing an ambitious Digital National Service Corps.
However, none of these efforts will be successful – regardless of whether they involve top-notch infrastructure or an exceptionally well-designed curriculum – if we fall short in one crucial area: governance.
The educational system in Ghana isn’t merely dysfunctional; it has suffered from years of political manipulation, favoritism, and incompetence. What should be a vital sector for nurturing national potential has instead become a means of rewarding supporters for political parties, rather than cultivating the country’s talents.
We often ponder why our educational achievements fall short, our top educators feel disheartened, and our alumni struggle to find opportunities. It’s high time we address these issues. Otherwise, all efforts at improvement could crumble due to inadequate leadership.
Political appointees: the source of corruption
Let’s be frank: far too many people placed in charge of leading our educational institutions and agencies shouldn’t be there. Many haven't even managed a classroom, much less an entire organization.
Many have faltered in handling their own affairs or enterprises yet are abruptly deemed fit to lead public institutions tasked with molding countless minds.
We've witnessed political activists without formal education being placed in critical board positions. Radio panelists promoted to vice-chancellor roles. People deemed unqualified as mentors in their respective domains becoming CEOs of government organizations—simply for participating in campaigns or carrying banners.
This has to end. You can't construct an education system for the 21st century using political tactics from the 1800s.
Governance needs to transition to a system based on merit and professionalism.
We should establish a nationwide educational leadership structure that emphasizes proficiency, track record, and outcomes. This is how it could be structured:
- Independent education leadership commission: Create a non-partisan, independent committee to screen and propose candidates for crucial educational roles—akin to how certain nations appoint central bank chiefs or election supervisors. This panel ought to consist of education specialists, former university heads, leaders from teachers' unions, figures from the business world, and scholars based abroad.
- Leadership qualifications bill: The parliament needs to enact legislation specifying the basic requirements and experiences needed for all key positions within educational bodies and organizations. If you aspire to lead a technological university, ensure you have overseen an academic establishment or taken up a prominent position in industrial research or development. Should you wish to preside over a school board, show your capabilities in strategic planning and governance—party allegiance isn’t enough here.
- Performance-based appointments: Every leader needs to work under performance agreements. Achieve targets or face replacement. Publicly disclose annual reports—which should encompass fiscal stewardship, educational standards, innovative practices, learner contentment, and alumni success metrics.
- Insulation from political interference: Educational institutions should be permitted to hire, keep, and manage their staff independently of political entities. Should a vice-chancellor require approval from a regional chairman before disciplining an employee, it would signify our failure.
Allow agencies to be headed by specialists – rather than politicians
Ministries inherently possess a political nature, which is clear. They appoint ministers and deputy ministers with the aim of advancing the government’s objectives. However, agencies, institutions, and regulatory entities ought to maintain professionalism, independence, and stability regardless of changes in the political landscape.
If the sole criterion for leading a national agency is past campaigning experience, it's hardly surprising when the agency underperforms. We ought to cease treating public institutions like arenas for political conflict. Instead, these entities should be regarded as national treasures—managed accordingly.
Boosting spirits and keeping key personnel
When governance becomes politicized, it undermines morale. Capable professionals often find themselves overlooked, marginalized, or downgraded purely for lacking political affiliations. As a result, promising newcomers perceive limited prospects for advancement without engaging in party activities.
Our top educators are lured away by foreign institutions since they believe their talents will be recognized and compensated better outside our borders. To prevent this exodus of talent, we first need to reinstate institutional dignity Let teaching professions become pathways to honor, prestige, and national pride. Let capable individuals advance—not due to their connections, but because of what they have created, shared, or pioneered.
We cannot digitize dysfunction
In our efforts to digitalize Ghana’s economy, we should avoid digitizing inefficiencies. E-governance isn’t just about moving services onto the internet; it’s also about ensuring transparency, accountability, and effectiveness. Simply transferring outdated patronage practices to modernized systems won’t yield different outcomes.
This is precisely why educational governance reforms extend beyond mere schooling; they encompass nation-building efforts as well. These changes aim at reshaping the ethos of leadership within our borders—beginning with our educational institutions such as schools, universities, and various government bodies.
In conclusion: The appropriate individuals construct the proper framework.
All the topics we've covered throughout this series – including collaborations between public and private universities, revamped vocational training programs, the incorporation of STEM fields, and the establishment of a Digital National Service Corps – hinge on having the appropriate individuals in suitable positions.
If we do not install principled, seasoned, and visionary leaders, we will merely be constructing castles in the air.
Leadership should not be seen as a political favor. It is a sacred duty to the nation. We must reconstruct Ghana’s educational framework not merely with concrete and syllabus – but with character , competence , and clarity of purpose That is the sole method through which we can build the future our children deserve – and the country that commands global respect.
>>>the writer is A doctoral student focusing on blockchain technology and decentralized finance at the University of Bradford. He has earned an MBA in International Marketing from the International University of Monaco. Previously, Sammy served as the inaugural president of the Ghana Business Outsourcing Association and established both Africa’s premier data entry facility and Ghana’s pioneering medical transcription business. You may contact him through various means. sammyomanye@gmail.com
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