Despite significant government investments in Ghana’s education sector, particularly through the Free Senior High School programme, a new Youth Barometer Report from the Youth Opportunity and Transformation in Africa (YOTA) reveals that 42.9% of the youth believe the education system is regressing. The report surveyed 833 young Ghanaians, highlighting widespread concerns about the effectiveness of the current educational approach.
The report attributes this perception to an overemphasis on theoretical teaching at the expense of practical and experiential learning, particularly at the secondary and tertiary levels. Additional factors include disparities in educational infrastructure between urban and rural areas, declining standards in educational quality compared to global benchmarks, limited disciplinary mechanisms, and poor quality of teaching and learning delivery.
The Ghana Youth Barometer study delved into the perceptions of young Ghanaians regarding their education, examining how well they feel prepared and confident about their future prospects. Speaking on the findings, Emmanuel Edudzie, Executive Director of YOTA, emphasized that the report aims to amplify youth voices in shaping educational policies by the government and development partners.
The study gathered quantitative data from 1,940 youths aged 15 to 35 across 32 Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies in Ghana’s 16 regions, supplemented by qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with 28 males and 20 females, along with four focus group discussions.
According to the report, 748 respondents agreed, and 202 strongly agreed, that Ghana’s education system tends to favor certain segments of society, such as students in urban areas and those with social connections and influence. The report also identified the top three barriers to accessing education for young people: limited financial resources, high costs of education, and lack of family support.
While some youths acknowledged that the education system has prepared them for the future, qualitative data revealed that many felt it failed to equip them with essential soft and practical skills, such as critical thinking, creativity, and entrepreneurial abilities necessary for success in today’s job market.
Mr. Edudzie noted that for years, young people have contributed to national development but lacked the evidence to support their advocacy. Now, with well-researched data, the youth can engage more effectively with key stakeholders in government, research institutions, and academia. “I think we are going to have in the next decade, a stronger youth sector led by young people who are able to voice their views and perspectives in a more concrete way, and if the politicians or policymakers say where’s your evidence, they have it at hand already,” he added.
Dr. Thomas Yeboah, Lead Researcher for the Ghana Youth Barometer 2024, called for increased investments in the education sector, particularly in rural areas, to bridge the gap. He expressed concern over the exam-focused nature of Ghana’s education system, where students prioritize passing exams over acquiring practical knowledge for the real world. Dr. Yeboah also pointed to a Ghana Statistical Service report indicating that approximately 1.4 million children are out of school.
He urged the implementation of pragmatic measures to integrate soft skills training from the Senior High School level, aligning education with labour market demands and better preparing students for the job market.
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