PRESS RELEASE
GTEC Must Focus on Producing Problem-Solving Graduates with Skills-Based, Industry-Relevant Programmes, Not Chasing Titles
– William Boadi, EAI
The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) was established to regulate and enhance the quality of tertiary education in Ghana. Its primary responsibility is to ensure that institutions produce graduates who can contribute meaningfully to national development.
However, recent developments suggest that too much attention is being placed on individuals and their academic titles rather than tackling the structural challenges that continue to hinder education delivery. At a time when graduate unemployment is estimated at 1.9 million, the Commission’s focus must shift from chasing personalities to solving the pressing issues confronting Ghana’s youth.
Education must go beyond the acquisition of certificates. Our institutions are producing thousands of degree holders yearly, yet many remain unemployed due to limited practical training and a lack of problem-solving skills. Employers consistently lament that graduates are not adequately prepared for the world of work. GTEC should therefore redirect its energy towards ensuring that programmes are skills-based, industry-relevant, and aligned with Ghana’s developmental needs. Accreditation should be tied to employability, innovation, and practical output not just the existence of lecture halls and libraries.
It is also crucial that GTEC strengthens partnerships between academia and industry. Compulsory internships, apprenticeships, and entrepreneurial training must form part of every tertiary programme. We must move from a system that glorifies titles to one that nurtures innovators and change-makers. Ironically, personalities such as Kwadwo Nkansah (Lilwyn), who has no BECE certificate, have established schools and created jobs. This reality should push us to rethink the value we attach to titles without tangible impact on society.
Look, GTEC’s mandate is to build a generation of problem-solvers, not just title holders. Ghana needs graduates who can create jobs, drive innovation, and transform communities. The Commission must stay focused on this responsibility rather than chasing individuals. The true legacy of our education system will not be the number of graduates it produces but the quality of solutions they bring to the nation’s challenges.
We are one people.
Ghana first.
Signed
William Boadi
Executive Director of Educate Africa Institute (EAI) Educationist Political analyst, and Social Worker.
0541935106.
EAI, Education and Social Justice.
