Dr. Eric Nkansah's legacy of leadership: Celebrating a young trailblazer’s impactful public service journey!

“To whom much is given, much is expected.”

If the above expression is anything to go by, then one can say without a doubt that, no Director-General of GES in recent times has faced much more expectations than Dr. Eric Nkansah - the immediate past Director-General. 

In October 2022, I found myself at the forefront of an advocacy group - Concerned Citizens Against Discrimination - rallying support for the newly appointed Director-General. Dr. Nkansah's appointment to the appex job at the GES was met with opposition from various Teacher Unions. Nonetheless, Dr. Nkansah proved his doubters wrong and won the hearts of all and sundry during his tenure as the Director General.

As one who fronted advocacy for Dr. Nkansah, I earnestly followed his social media posts during his tenure in office as the Director General.

I must admit that, prior to his appointment by the then President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, I had never encountered Dr. Eric Nkansah in private or professional life.

As his time in office ended recently due to a change in government, it is time for us to reflect on Dr. Nkansah's achievement and successes as Director General.

On 27th January 2025, Dr. Nkansah posted his final goodbye message following his exit from office. Amongst the hundreds of well-wishers who commented is Mr. Bruce Senam McBrian, a professional teacher.

Below is his comment:

"You gave it your best shot, Doc! I had my initial doubts about you, but you proved your mettle. Thank you."

To Dr. Nkansah's "Happy New Year" post on 1st January 2025, amongst the hundreds who responded, is Mr. Edward Honest Polley. Mr Polley posted:

"In a moment like this, I join a host of Heavenly angels of our God and other well-wishers to wish you more grace and always victory in everything you do, especially in your chosen field of work and ministry. God bless you abundantly Dr. Nkansah, for your timely intervention and support to Saviour Children Foundation Home, particularly for helping us in our school placement."

He continued: "In fact, I don't know you personally, but I will pray you remain the Director-General of Ghana Education Service. We are humbled and grateful for your kindness and show of love to the less privileged, orphans and the needy. You are such an irreplaceable jewel ever precious and indispensable. I am Eddie Honest. Administrator of Saviour Children Foundation Home, Kasoa..."

Having chanced on Dr. Nkansah's enumeration of his achievements and successes as Director General during his tenure in office, I have felt the need to do this follow-up publication. As a nation, we should be able to rise above any form of discrimination, especially in public appointments - be it tribal, political, religious, gender, or age.

Being the youngest ever Director General of the GES; and succeeding a seasoned professor in the person of Prof. Opoku Amankwa, Dr. Nkansah's appointment was bound to be met with age discrimination. 

The import of this message is that, we should not hold back from appointing the younger ones to steer the affairs of this nation so long as they have the potential to lead, as current President John Dramani Mahama has done in most of his appointments. 

Indeed, Dr. Nkansah's tenure as the Director General has had a far-reaching impact on the youth of this nation.

On this note, I would like to commend President John Dramani Mahama, for the appointment of Dr. Frank Amoakohene, Okudzeto-Ablakwa, Sam George, Malik Basintale, and other younger persons into positions of leadership and governance of this nation.

Under Dr. Nkansah’s leadership, management pursued a vision of “consolidating the gains made in the education sector to build a 21st-century education system to deliver improved learning outcomes for the benefit of all Ghanaian children of school-going age without any discrimination.”

He pursued this vision through four key strategic pillars, namely: 

i.    Improving the working conditions of staff 
ii.    Improving internal processes for efficiency across the Service 
iii.    Improving data management using technology 
iv.    Ensuring a strong performance management and accountability regime at all levels.

Throughout his tenure as Director-General of the GES, Dr. Nkansah leveraged collaborations and partnerships with stakeholders in the education sector to achieve successes in these strategic areas.

Some of the highlights of Dr. Nkansah’s successes as Director General are:

i.    Improving Data Management Using Technology. Recognising the importance of data-driven decision-making, Dr. Nkansah led GES to develop the Ghana Education Service Management Information System (GESMIS). This centralised digital platform streamlines educational data management, facilitating efficient tracking of school performance indicators, student enrollment, teacher deployment, and other essential metrics. 

By leveraging digital technology, GES has reduced bureaucratic delays and ensured real-time access to critical information for policymakers, administrators, and stakeholders. As of December 2024, GESMIS had onboarded over 300,000 teaching and non-teaching staff. Hon. Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum - then Minister for Education - officially launched GESMIS in December 2024.

ii.    According to a March 2025 report by the Ghana Statistical Service in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Ghana has achieved gender parity at all levels of pre-tertiary education.

Indeed, by the time he left office, girls outnumbered boys in senior and junior high schools. This positions Ghana as one of the few countries in Sub-Saharan Africa to have attained this feat. 

iii.    In 2024, under the leadership and guidance of Dr. Nkansah, the Ghana Education Service introduced a novel 'self-posting' recruitment module to seamlessly recruit the first cohort of 4-year bachelor's degree graduates from the public Colleges of Education. This innovative initiative allowed newly trained teachers to select their preferred regions, districts, and schools, significantly reducing language barriers and enabling many to live closer to their families – thereby enhancing social support and reducing economic strain.

Please read all the highlights of Dr. Eric Nkansah’s successes and achievements as Director General of the GES from this link 

During Dr. Nkansah’s tenure as Director-General, significant strides were made in advancing key educational reforms, improving administrative efficiency, and enhancing learning outcomes across all levels of pre-tertiary education in Ghana. His leadership has indelibly impacted pre-tertiary education, setting a strong foundation for future progress.