Lumumba calls for overhaul of education towards new Africa

Renowned Pan-Africanist, Professor Patrice Lumumba, has called for a relook at Africa's educational system to ensure it builds a mentally conscious population, ready to accelerate the development of the continent.

He said Africa, its leaders, traditional and political, its academicians and its youth must work towards a mindset of possibility, decolonising the minds to build on the knowledge on the continent and maximising its resources for growth and transformation.

He emphasised the need to re-examine the educational system, adopt technologies through research to strengthen all sectors, particularly agriculture, health, engineering and technology for a prosperous Africa.

He was speaking at the maiden public lecture series instituted by the University of Education, Winneba, in Winneba last Friday.

It was on the theme: "Empowering minds, shaping futures for 21st century education."

The lectures seek to create a platform for meaningful dialogue where policymakers and educators can unite to address societal challenges and drive solutions that foster economic and social growth.

Breaking away from the past

Prof. Lumumba said citizens of the continent must be determined to break off from the chains of neo-colonialism, which remains a dangerous weapon used to demean everything African as inferior, and liberate themselves into innovation and invention.

He stated that it was unfortunate that the African continent had resources, including a great youthful population, but was still not able to build the needed infrastructure towards prosperity.

He said the level of miseducation on the continent was worrying and needed to change in the 21st century.

He further noted that changes in the continent’s educational system must move from cosmetic to ensuring fundamentals that impacted agriculture, technology, health and engineering, building in the people values and character for business development for growth.

He said Africa's educational system must educate engineers and technocrats who could confidently develop its infrastructure, doctors who could handle efficiently its health needs, and agriculturists who would feed its people.

Prof. Lumumba said he hoped to see an Africa with its own cars, satellite stations and industrial facilities, saying it is possible if all think outside the box.

"Africa needs new citizens with values, passion, dedication, love, imagination, innovation and invention," he added.

He used the opportunity to pay glowing tribute to renowned African leaders and Pan-Africanists, including Ghana's first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, whose ideas and ideologies, he said, remained relevant to date.

Complexities of 21st Century

A leadership expert, Dr Samuel Koranteng-Pipim, said the continent needed to fight poverty with relevant skills training, ignorance with quality learning and information and dependence with creativity and an entrepreneurship mindset.

He urged UEW and other teacher education institutions to train teachers who could handle the complexities of the 21st century.

The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, in a speech read on his behalf by his deputy, Dr Clement Apaak, said there was a need for collaboration to build a robust educational system which was resilient and responsive to the needs of the 21st century.

He indicated that Ghana was at a critical juncture where the quality of its education would determine the trajectory of its socio-economic future.

Mr Iddrisu intimated that while the 21st century came with its challenges, it also provided immense opportunities for rapid technological advancement, globalisation and evolving job markets, adding that it required an inclusive and future-oriented educational system to fully explore such opportunities.

A health specialist and former Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Prof. Agyeman Badu-Akosah, in his remarks, urged all to leverage Africa's resources and traditional knowledge, especially on herbal medicine, and to help keep the resources and the environment sustainably.

A Congolese sinologist, Edmond Moukala, commended the university and the speakers’ efforts at building a more conscious Africa.

Vice-Chancellor

The Vice-Chancellor of UEW, Prof. Stephen Mitchual, said the success of Ghana's sustainable development agenda hinged on the quality of its education.

He stated that as a leading teacher education institution in Ghana, UEW took pride in championing intellectual engagement and collaboration, explaining that the public lecture series was, thus, designed to convene scholars, policymakers and community members from a variety of backgrounds to share their insights, engage in meaningful dialogue and inspire actionable initiatives.

This, he said, would help all development actors to embrace diverse perspectives to drive progress in education, foster responsible citizenship and build thriving communities that contribute to Ghana’s social and economic growth.