Founder and leader of the Union Government, Akwasi Addai Odike, has called for a complete transformation of Ghana’s educational system, arguing that the country’s current academic structure is outdated, overly examination-driven, and incapable of nurturing innovation and practical talents among students.
Speaking as a panelist on Ahotor 92.3 FM’s political talk show Yepe Ahunu hosted by Nana Dogbe, Odike reacted strongly to the recent cases of examination malpractice recorded during the Basic Education Certificate Examination, popularly known as BECE, where some invigilators were reportedly arrested over alleged involvement in cheating scandals.
According to the outspoken politician and businessman, the recurring incidents of examination malpractice expose deep-rooted flaws within Ghana’s educational framework, which he believes continues to follow a colonial-style system introduced during the era of Governor Gordon Guggisberg.
Odike argued that the existing curriculum places excessive emphasis on memorization instead of critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving abilities. In his view, students are primarily trained to reproduce information from textbooks during examinations rather than develop practical knowledge capable of solving real-life challenges.
He lamented that such a rigid educational structure has failed to produce enough innovative and self-reliant graduates, adding that many young people complete school without discovering or developing their natural talents and abilities.
The Union Government founder stressed that Ghana urgently needs an educational revolution centered on early childhood talent identification and practical skills development. According to him, children possess different gifts and interests, and the country’s educational policies must be designed to nurture those unique abilities from the kindergarten level.
He explained that not every child can excel in subjects like mathematics or science, and therefore forcing all students to follow a uniform academic path only suppresses creativity and confidence among learners with different strengths.
Odike proposed a more flexible educational approach where teachers continuously assess students’ interests, talents, and practical abilities as they grow, allowing learners to naturally develop skills aligned with their passions and future careers.
He further advocated the introduction of specialized secondary schools focused on science, arts, agriculture, technology, and vocational training. According to him, such institutions would help students build expertise in areas where they demonstrate strong interest and potential.
Drawing attention to his party’s policy proposals, Odike stated that the Union Government manifesto strongly supports educational specialization rather than the current “one-size-fits-all” examination system.
He criticized the dominance of final examinations in determining students’ futures, arguing that compulsory subjects, particularly mathematics, have prevented many talented individuals from progressing academically despite possessing exceptional practical skills.
According to him, thousands of young people remain unemployed today because society has conditioned students to believe that passing examinations is the only pathway to success and government employment.
The outspoken politician also challenged Ghana’s educational authorities to redesign the curriculum to reflect the country’s natural resources and economic realities. He questioned why Ghanaian children are rarely taught practical knowledge about resources such as gold, cocoa, diamond, and bauxite despite their enormous contribution to the national economy.
Odike emphasized that students should be encouraged to conduct research into local industries and raw materials at the basic school level so they can develop entrepreneurial ideas and practical solutions capable of creating jobs and boosting national development.
He appealed directly to the Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, to spearhead bold reforms aimed at reducing overreliance on BECE examinations and introducing a more balanced assessment structure.
In his proposal, continuous assessment should account for 80 percent of a student’s final evaluation, while external examinations such as the BECE should contribute only 20 percent.
Odike argued that such a system would significantly reduce examination malpractice since students would be assessed based on long-term classroom performance, practical activities, and project-based learning rather than a single high-pressure examination.
He added that the current obsession with passing examinations has encouraged unhealthy practices such as overdependence on leaked papers, “apor,” and cheating, while weakening genuine academic development and creativity among students.
Concluding his remarks, Akwasi Addai Odike insisted that Ghana’s educational system must undergo a complete paradigm shift if the country hopes to tackle unemployment and produce innovative young people capable of creating opportunities for themselves.
“Ghana has gold, cocoa, diamond, and many natural resources, yet our children know very little about them because the curriculum does not reflect our realities,” he said, warning that the country risks producing generations of unemployed graduates unless practical and talent-based education becomes a national priority.
Story by Freedom Etsey Lavoe/Ahotoronline.com