Sometime in November 2023, I missed two calls from an unknown phone number.
When I returned the call later, I reached a female student who had taken three courses with me the previous semester.
While trying to explain the purpose of her call, her line was unfortunately unstable.
But I got the message: she was dissatisfied with her grades in two of the courses and wanted to know if she could review her marked scripts.
In an obviously shaky voice, she said, “Sir, please, I want to assure you that my request is not an attempt to challenge your authority…”
This plea struck me. The idea that she believed I might see her request as a challenge to my authority frustrated me, because our department had previously emphasised during Staff Student Consultative meetings that students have the right to review their marked examination scripts, provided it is done within 21 days of the results’ publication.
This aligns with the university’s Academic Programme Policies and Regulations for Undergraduate Studies.
Yet, this student still trembled at the thought that her request might be perceived as challenging my authority.
This episode highlights an enduring cultural issue in our part of the world, one that may limit our ability to think beyond established boundaries and cultivate true innovation.
Cultural problem
A common cultural idea holds that children cannot challenge the opinions of their elders. In my native Ewe language, this is expressed in the adage, Devi ka akplegã mekaa enya gã o, meaning, “A child may be permitted to eat large portions but not to engage in complex conversations.”
In Akan, a comparable saying is, “When an elder is done bathing, all water at home must be deemed finished.” In other words, the elder has the final say.
These adages are often well-intentioned, guiding children by relying on the wisdom of elders.
But they can also act as “double-edged swords.”
They may unintentionally suppress critical thinking by discouraging children from questioning or offering alternative perspectives, which may be deemed rude or disobedient.
Even beyond the home, modern institutions often exercise final authority.
For example, the Supreme Court serves as the ultimate arbiter in legal disputes.
In this specific context, such authority is appropriate.
After all, as they say, all litigation must come to an end at some point.
Yet, when these principles are applied more broadly, such as in classrooms, they may prevent students from critically examining information or offering their own insights, as the teacher, too, may be viewed as the oneto have the final say on any matter.
So, how can we proactively guide students to develop critical thinking, an essential skill for future problem-solving? I suggest two complementary approaches: pedagogical change and cultural change.
Pedagogical change
The first approach is ensuring teacher preparedness. Unprepared teachers are unlikely to welcome critical perspectives, as such discussions could expose gaps in their own knowledge.
Currently, Ghanaian university lecturers juggle research, community service and teaching multiple courses per semester.
The expectation is to teach 12 credit hours, roughly four courses, each semester.
By contrast, many forward-looking universities have differentiated faculty tracks as below:
• Teaching track: Faculty fully devoted to teaching, with opportunities for promotion based on teaching excellence. The ranks typically available are: assistant teaching professor, associate teaching professor and teaching professor.
• Research track: Faculty fully devoted to research, with advancement based on research performance. Here, the ranks are often research assistant professor, research associate professor and research professor.
• Combined track: Faculty responsible for both teaching and research, with the following being the ranks: Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Professor.
Introducing a teaching-focused track in Ghanaian universities would allow passionate educators to devote themselves fully to instruction, providing students with richer learning experiences and fostering their capacity to think critically and innovate.
Of course, one is not arguing that a well-prepared teacher will have answers to all questions. But it goes a long way to help.
Cultural change
The second approach is cultural. Traditional practices that discourage questioning may create long-standing norms that limit students’ willingness to challenge teachers’ opinions, even when such challenges could advance knowledge.
This problem is reminiscent of observations in other societies. For example, some argue that China, despite its scientific and technological progress over the last few decades, is still less innovative than the United States because socialist systems like China tend to emphasise collective harmony over individual expression.
In such societies, individuals are often expected to filter their ideas through the lens of the group before voicing them. That is, before you make a bold claim, you must first ask whether the larger society will approve of it or not.
By contrast, in more individualistic cultures, such as the United States, people are encouraged to advance their ideas even when those ideas challenge prevailing norms or invite disapproval.
This may lead to breakthroughs previously thought to be unattainable.
Changing cultural attitudes requires careful contextualisation.
We must clarify that adages such as “When an elder is done bathing, all water at home must be deemed finished” apply only to specific contexts, like dispute resolution.
Such clarification can gradually encourage a cultural shift that supports critical thinking in classrooms, ultimately nurturing future innovators.
The call from that student was more than frustrating. It offered a glimpse into the cultural forces that may shape the evolution of critical thinking in Ghanaian education.
By combining pedagogical reforms with thoughtful cultural recalibration, we can guide students to move beyond established boundaries, question boldly and generate ideas that will shape the future.
The writer is a scientist, essayist, and commentator on education/innovation policy at the University of Cape Coast.
E-mail: iagorsor@ucc.edu.gh
