Speaking at the 7th Quadrennial (54th) GNAT Regional Delegates’ Conference held at Kibi College of Education, Dr. Agyemang emphasised that Ghana must rethink education not just as preparation for the job market, but as a foundation for global participation and leadership.

“If an 18-year-old in Ho is to stand shoulder to shoulder with her peer in Helsinki, our classrooms must evolve,” he urged.

The Digital Era Demands a New Learning Model

Highlighting the rise of artificial intelligence, automation, and machine learning, Dr. Agyemang noted these technologies are transforming industries once believed to rely solely on human intelligence. From agriculture to banking, no sector is immune to the digital shift.

In this context, digital literacy must go beyond familiarity with devices—it must include coding and the capacity to think computationally.

“Counting is no longer enough. Our students must code. We must prepare young minds not only to find jobs but to remain relevant in an interconnected world,” he stressed.

Reimagining the African Graduate

Dr. Agyemang outlined the profile of the African graduate the continent must now produce—individuals who are: Digitally skilled and creators of technology, driven by innovation and entrepreneurial thinking, deeply rooted in their culture but comfortable in global environments, guided by ethical principles and strong emotional intelligence.

“The African of this age should be able to develop software in Python and, with the same ease, recall ancestral wisdom. This dual capacity is not contradiction—it’s completeness,” he explained.

Envisioning a Modern Classroom

He painted a vivid picture of what education could look like in Ghana’s future: rural schools equipped with digital simulations, real-time learning analytics, and artificial intelligence systems that help identify and address individual learning challenges.

Teachers, he said, must no longer work in isolation but should become part of a wider African network of professional collaboration.

“In the new era, a teacher in Ghana will collaborate with peers across the continent—from Rwanda to Egypt—sharing strategies and transforming learning together,” he declared.

A National Imperative for Realignment

While acknowledging strides such as the Free SHS policy and revitalized TVET programs, Dr. Agyemang cautioned that statistics alone do not reflect real progress. The fundamental disconnect, he argued, lies between what students are taught and what is required in today’s world.

“There is a misalignment—between our educational priorities and global realities, between what we fund and what we truly need,” he said.

He ended by quoting Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen, reinforcing the idea that education is not merely about acquiring basic skills but about expanding freedoms, choices, and opportunities.

Teachers at the Heart of National Transformation

To the teachers present, Dr. Agyemang offered a stirring reminder: “Your role is far beyond preparing students to pass exams. You are sculpting the minds that will lead Africa’s future.” His remarks, both visionary and urgent, received resounding applause.

Delegates rose to their feet, inspired by the message that Ghana’s future lies not in catching up, but in boldly designing a new path forward—one where the African child thrives, the African teacher leads, and the continent competes on equal footing with the world.

Source: myjoyonline

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The call, according to GNECC, is based on some pledges President Nana Akufo-Addo made during a UK Summit on transforming education.

“The government’s 12.9% budgetary allocation to the education sector in the 2023 national budget although indicates an increase as compared to last year’s allocation, still falls below the target Ghana has set for itself in 2021 during the Global Education Summit held in the United Kingdomwherethepresident pledged to spend at least 23% of the national budget on education over the medium term from 2021 to 2025,” the coalition said.

In a statement to mark the 2023 International Education Day, GNECC said as a mouthpiece of education in Ghana, it wishes to remind the President and the education ministry of this commitment and looks forward to its reality.

“This pledge was repeated in Ghana’s National Commitment Statement that was presented at the 2022 Transforming Education Summit. It is important to remind ourselves as a country of the need to fulfil these commitments that signify our collective efforts towards the achievement of Agenda 2023,” the statement demanded.

On the back of this, GNECC is of the view that there is a need for a solidarity pact going forward to translate commitments into action and strengthen the capacities of policymakers and implementers including teachers to transform education to that of the 21st century.

“We need to rally around a concrete accountability mechanism that will monitor Ghana’s transformational commitments in the form of national SDG 4 benchmarks and drives concrete progress around the themes that emerged from the Summit.

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“As we join the global community on this special day to celebrate education worldwide, GNECCiscallingonthe government and other key stakeholders to prioritize the following three key areas,” GNECC noted.