Overhauling of Ghana's higher education system key to economic growth - Nikoi Hammond

The Executive Chairman of Dominion University, Professor Felix Nikoi Hammond, has called for an overhaul of university education in Ghana.

He said Ghana’s current university education does not encourage self-employment or individual innovations, since most of the courses are centred on white-colour jobs and not entrepreneurship.

He noted was the reason for the high unemployment rate among university graduates in the country.

He made the call at the launch of the TEASE Evolution an imitative by the University to academically empower its students to be problem solvers after their schooling on Friday May 10, 2024 in Accra.

He said the current university education system run in Ghana can be seen in two approaches where some are doing the same and just a few are differentiating through nurturing young people with the requisite skills that are needed in the current economy.

He said those running the normal teaching and learning are producing graduates who lack the skills to take up challenges in the economy.

He said a thriving education system has to deliver four main functions, which include economic development, social development, cultural development, and personal growth.

“It is very easy for everyone to say we are raising leaders, it is also easy for us to say there’s shortage, there is a mismatch between what the universities are producing and what the market is looking for, it’s all about the systems that we are using” he said.

TEASE evolution

The TEASE initiative seeks to inculcate some values into their students to help them build a future in the area of Trustworthiness, Experience, Authority, Success, and Expertise (TEASE).

Professor Hammond stressed that all the country needs is the production of graduates who will be trusted in society and are ready to take up challenging positions.

“Dominion for a long time was doing what other universities where doing but we realized that it not producing and giving the effect that it has to be. We have taking two years to study, and to understand were we need to teach our camp, what element will make the difference”. he explained.

He said the university will introduce programmes tailored at grooming the students to be trustworthy while ensuring their undergo training (internship) in reputable organisations to enable gain experiences before they graduate.