Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has cautioned Ghanaian parents against sending their children abroad for education at a very young age, warning that the practice could weaken their family ties and connection to the country.
Speaking at the launch of the National Integrity Awards Scheme at the D.F. Annan Auditorium in Parliament on Monday, July 27, Mr Bagbin encouraged parents to allow their children to complete their basic and secondary education in Ghana before pursuing further studies overseas.
According to him, children who grow up away from their families and cultural environment may struggle to maintain strong bonds with their parents and develop a sense of national identity.
He advised parents to focus on instilling values, discipline and patriotism in their children through local education before exposing them to international opportunities at a more mature stage.
“Many of you who rush your children abroad to study, I beg you, you don’t love your children because you know you are going to lose them,” he said.
Mr Bagbin explained that children who leave Ghana after completing their early education and travel abroad for postgraduate studies are more likely to maintain their connection to home and consider returning after their studies.
“It’s when they study here and get to a stage of maturity, and they want to advance, and they are going to do a Master’s, PhD, and that kind of thing, then you have hope that they will come back,” he stated.
The Speaker argued that early exposure to foreign environments could affect children’s understanding of family values and their sense of belonging.
“Those you carry as babies and send there, they don’t even come to your funeral. It’s true. They don’t know you. They don’t have any attachment. They don’t like your country. There’s no patriotism there. They don’t know what a family is,” he said.
He urged parents to reconsider the practice and prioritise raising their children in Ghana during their formative years.
“Please, I beg you, let’s change our ways,” Mr Bagbin added.
The National Integrity Awards Scheme, launched at Parliament, seeks to promote integrity, accountability and ethical leadership among Ghanaians.
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