Renowned educationist, Emeritus Professor Stephen Adei, has called for empowering head teachers in public schools to improve education standards.
Speaking on the current state of education, he highlighted issues such as declining education quality, moral decay, inadequate teacher training, and an outdated education system.
Prof. Adei emphasized that, until head teachers are given the authority to enforce discipline, educational standards in public schools would continue to deteriorate.
“Teachers in most of the private basic schools are not trained as compared with those in public schools, yet they deliver better results; and this is because of the leadership problem in public basic schools,” he said.
Prof. Adei expressed concerns about teacher training in colleges of education, which he argued is not adequately preparing educators for the demands of the job.
He cited knowledge deficiencies and a lack of moral values among teachers as additional obstacles to quality education.
Drawing from his own experience, he noted that his private school recently dismissed three teachers with diplomas from prestigious universities due to poor performance.
According to him, education without values poses a threat to national development, fostering conditions where social ills, like corruption, can flourish.
“We are at the point where pupils pay money to be given support during their Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), and that is why we see corruption everywhere in our national life,” he lamented.
Prof. Adei further emphasized the need for a values-based education system to instill discipline and ethics in the younger generation, an essential step for national progress.
He argued that changing the mindset of students through such a system is crucial for sustainable development.
Addressing technical and vocational education and training (TVET), Prof. Adei called for increased investment in this area, arguing that the country must prioritize TVET to create a workforce equipped for development needs.
He stressed that this investment should include a comprehensive scholarship program for TVET students and the establishment of well-equipped resource centers.
Prof. Adei also pointed out that prioritizing TVET would require changes to salary structures to attract top talent to these fields.
Addressing a question on artificial intelligence (AI) use among young people, he urged policymakers to integrate TVET and digital skills training into the national development agenda.
“If we want to make TVET first, our salary structure should also prioritize it above other disciplines,” he said.
