Education Minister urges Africans to instigate change in educational sector
The Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, has called for a renewal of mindsets amongst Africans to instigate change on the continent’s educational sector.
He has, therefore, urged Africans to as a matter of urgency, come to the understanding that the continent’s future lied in their hands for which reason they were to resolve that change was possible and that change would happen.
Dr Adutwum made the call at the regional meeting of African national commissions for United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)’s Global Flagship Programme, in Accra, on Monday.
UNESCO’s Global Priority Africa Flagship Programme is one that is geared towards an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena.
Dr Adutwumsaid there was the need for educational transformation towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal four (SDG4) target, through opportunities offered by digital learning.
Dr Adutwum said the continent had to look at how its students could be innovative and creative, adding that “our children are ready, respectful and open for these changes. All we need is to institute these measures which will make them responsive to the world we live in now.”
“I believe in an assertive African educational curriculum. One that enables these children question what they are taught for deeper insights,” he added.
Dr Adutwum noted that African children have been tamed into submission and that was not helpful.
He said hosting the meeting in Accra was strategic as it served to unite National Commission in Africa to have a common agenda in furtherance of Global Priority Africa Programme.
He said Ghana had been at the forefront of multilateral action through the UNESCO Man and Biosphere programme, to sustainably utilise biodiversity and ecosystem services to improve livelihoods and protect the environment.
“Ghana was instrumental in the formation of the African Network of Biosphere Reserves (AfriMAB), which aims at promoting regional cooperation among MAB National Committees and Biosphere Reserves in Sub-Saharan Africa,” he added.
Dr Adutwum congratulated UNESCO for using the Biosphere Reserve concept to chart aclear pathway in global climate change mitigation, adding that “we will continue to urge member states to step up efforts to designate more biosphere reserves to avert the climate menace.”
The United Nations (UN) Coordinator, Mr Charles Abani, said the meeting was crucial in catapulting the continent to greater heights.
As such, he called on all to stand in solidarity on the initiative in order to help Africa unlock its full potential on the globe.
BY ABIGAIL ARTHUR
