Professor Edward Appiah, Director General of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NACCA) has revealed that the mode which employers used to recruit graduates has changed.
According to him, employers are now after graduates who can proffer solutions to challenges.
“We are not looking for graduate who will learn by rote, we are not looking for graduate who will always want to ask for solutions. The economy now looks for graduates who already have solutions and are ready to offer the solutions when needed,” he said.
Speaking at the 8th Congregation of Christ Apostolic University College(CAUC), where 262 students graduated with Bachelor Degrees, Diplomas and Certificates, he urged the graduands to broaden their horizon by climbing higher the academic ladder.
“The first degree is just the foundation, it is up to you to make use of the world that is in front of you,” he advised the students.
On the revision of the pre-tertiary curriculum, the Director General of NACCA revealed that indeed the pre-tertiary curriculum has been revise and that science and technology, mathematics and 21st century skills have been included.
The President of CAUC, Prof Clement Somuah, on his part stated that science and technology is crucial in Ghana’s quest to become an industrialised state.
According to him, investing in science and technology education is a harbinger for the economic development of Ghana, adding that technological investment is an investment in the future of a nation’s industries and overall socio-economic competiveness.
To him, accelerated industrial development is a sine qua non for Ghana to address challenges such as poverty alleviation, unemployment and improve the living standards of the people. This epic initiative, he stated, will require a comprehensive approach that considers all aspects of the problem.
“Science and technology education is vital for the industrial development of Ghana;It is time for us as a nation to prioritise Science and Technology Education to drive accelerated industrial development,” he said at the ceremony, which was under the theme: “Revamping the Educational System to Address Unemployment and Accelerated Economic Development.”
On life after university education, the President of CAUC, expressed worry that one of the biggest challenges facing Ghana is graduate unemployment, disclosing that each year over 100,000 students graduate from tertiary institutions in Ghana to seek for jobs.
However, less than 20% are able to find employment in the formal sector, with the rest starting some businesses of their own or join the unemployed graduates.
According to Prof.Samuah, the management of CAUC is not oblivious of this growing challenge university graduates face in finding employment after graduation in a nation with high unemployment rate. He added that at CAUC every student takes courses in management, accounting and entrepreneurship to prepare them to go into business for themselves.
Prof Somuah subsequently urged the graduands to make a lasting impact, which contributes to the socio-economic development of Ghana.
Quoting the words of Alvin Toffler, he said: “The illiterate of the twenty-first century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearnand relearn.”
On his part, the Chancellor of CAUC, Apostle Samuel Amponsah Frimpong(ESQ), suggested that the current educational system should be tailored toward addressing Ghana’s peculiar challenges while at the same time growing the Ghanaian economy.
Referencing the Ghana Statistical Service’s (GSS) 2022 Annual Household Income and Expenditure Survey (AHIES) Third Quarter Labour Statistics, Apostle Amponsah Frimpong underscored that the survey highlights statistics on economic activities and unemployment rate in Ghana, adding that one worrying aspect of the survey was the unemployment statistics captured in the report.
“About 1.76 million persons were unemployed in the third quarter of 2022. Within this population, two out of every three unemployed persons were females.”
The CAUC Chancellor further expatiated on the GSS survey, noting that across the three quarters, about 157,000 persons experienced an unemployment spell thus they were unemployed in all the quarters in the year 2022. The report further puts the ratio of unemployment as 8.4%.
Apostle Samuel Amponsah Frimpong asserted that the challenges bedeviling the Ghanaian Economy makes one wonder whether the unemployment challenges could be addressed anytime soon.
Nevertheless, Chancellor Amponsah charged the graduating students to help Ghana in reversing this unemployment trend.
“I, therefore, challenge you to dare the status quo and think about the possibilities to address this challenge confronting the nation.
“In doing so, you may not have to look for the job opportunities, but also have the initiative to create jobs through your own ingenuities.”
