Class sizes must be reduced – Patrick Awuah

The founder and President of Ashesi University College, Patrick Awuah, has called on education authorities to cut down the large class sizes to manageable levels for effective and efficient transfer of knowledge to the youth.

He said the situation where teachers handling a large number of students in a class did not allow proper contact and efficient teaching and learning to thrive.

Mr. Awuah made the call at a public lecture on the theme: “Unleashing Youth Potentials (leadership, innovation, entrepreneurship) for Continental Development,” to mark the 50th birthday of Emanuel Dei-Tumi.

Mr. Dei-Tumi, founder and Group Chief Executive of the Future Leaders Group opted to dedicate his 50th birthday to the youth by organising a public lecture aimed at finding ways of unleashing the potentials in the youth for continental economic transformation.

But unleashing the potential inherent in the youth, Mr. Awuah observed that much attention ought to be given to higher education designed to develop disciplined, creative and ethical minds.

He said children should be encouraged to read widely, in order to develop understanding, able to apply concepts and evaluate events in their daily lives.

Mr. Awuah called on educational authorities to strive to improve school management; decentralize management, reduce class sizes, provide continuous training for teachers and administrators for efficient education delivery.

Roger Nzaba, Chief Executive Officer of ITEL Grouping Holdings, South Africa, on his part said common challenges facing the youth in Africa centred on the lack of employable skills, effective youth policies and mass unemployment.

He questioned whether the leaders of today were preparing the youth for the future, or the future for the youth, and therefore, encouraged the youth to dream big and dare in their exploits to achieve success.

Abdoulie Janneh, former United Nations under Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of Economic Commission for Africa, urged governments in Africa to intensify education on adult literacy.

He also called for tighter regional integration on comprehensive infrastructural development, expanded market, industrialisation and job creation; adding that governments ought to actively involve the youth in agribusiness to boost employment and reduce poverty.

Rashid Pelpuo, Minister of State at the Presidency in charge of Public Private Partnership, urged citizens to honour their civic responsibilities by paying taxes to enable government provide the right environment for progressive development.