Professor Akwasi Asabere-Ameyaw, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), has observed that the practice whereby every government that came to power put their own imprint of education policy initiatives, by undoing existing educational reforms, had not been helpful.
He stated that in some cases, many well-meaning educational reform initiatives sat on shelves for lack of the political will to implement them.
Prof Asabere-Ameyaw made these remarks during an Inaugural lecture on the topic: “African Schooling and Education,” in Winneba.
It was organized by the UEW, and attended by a large number of Vice-Chancellors, Pro-Vice Chancellors, Principals and Educationists from both public and private universities and higher institutions.
African governments must cease from politicizing education, educational policy, reforms and all issues regarding education, he cautioned.
“New reforms initiated must be driven by long term-planning for the good of the country, and not for political expediencies”.
According to the professor, Education was essential if Africa moved out of poverty, ignorance and diseases.
Prof Asabere-Ameyaw said Education could improve the health and general well being of people, contribute to reduced population growth, improved technology and strengthen governance.
He expressed concern about the fall in national budgetary allocation in Education in Africa over the years, and said this was partly due to the fact that Education was often seen either as too costly, or a drain on national coffers.
“All we need to do as intellectuals, learners and community workers are to think creatively, constructively and act in more critical ways to address out educational problems and challenges”.
Prof Asabere-Ameyaw said as educators, “we must offer hope to young African learners in out teaching, learning and educational delivery”.
We must believe in the possibility that we can turn things around and that the African learner will grow to become both the architects and vanguard of vibrant future Africa, he stated.
The Chairman of the University Governing Council, Dr Emmanuel Kofi Amoakoh Bondam, who chaired the function, described the lecture of Professor Asabere-Ameyaw as great, and appealed to the audience to take some lessons from it.
