Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has urged Ghanaian parents to reconsider the growing trend of sending their children abroad for education at an early age, warning that this practice could weaken family ties and erode their sense of patriotism.
Speaking at the launch of the National Integrity Awards Scheme at Parliament’s D.F. Annan Auditorium on Monday, July 27, Bagbin said children should be allowed to complete their formative education in Ghana before pursuing higher studies overseas.
He argued that parents who relocate their children abroad too early often end up losing the close bond they share with them.
“Many of you who rush your children abroad to study, I beg you, you don’t love your children because you know you are going to lose them,” he said.
According to the Speaker, students who complete their education in Ghana before travelling abroad for postgraduate programmes such as master’s or doctoral degrees are more likely to return home and contribute to national development.
“It’s when they study here and get to a stage of maturity, and they want to advance, and they are going to do a Master’s, PhD, and that kind of thing, then you have hope that they will come back,” he stated.
Bagbin maintained that children who leave Ghana at a very young age often grow up with little attachment to their families or the country.
“Those you carry as babies and send there, they don’t even come to your funeral. It’s true. They don’t know you. They don’t have any attachment. They don’t like your country. There’s no patriotism there. They don’t know what a family is,” he said.
He therefore appealed to parents to allow their children to spend their formative years in Ghana, insisting that doing so would help instil strong family values, national identity and a deeper appreciation of their roots.
“Please, I beg you, let’s change our ways,” the Speaker urged.
Bagbin made the remarks during the launch of the National Integrity Awards Scheme, an initiative designed to promote integrity, accountability and ethical leadership in Ghana.
