Ghana churning out ‘lazy infantalised helpless’ graduates – Haffar

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Kay 10 years ago

Too lazy to do anything.

Too lazy to do anything.
IBM 10 years ago

I hope the president and other stakeholders are listening to this gentleman. Ghana's educational system must be changed from that of the slavery mentality which has doomed the country.

I hope the president and other stakeholders are listening to this gentleman. Ghana's educational system must be changed from that of the slavery mentality which has doomed the country.
JOBLINKS 10 years ago

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SECURITY MEN/ WOMEN, DRIVERS, OFFIC ECLERKS, HOUSEHELPS. SALES CLERKS, CLEANERS, COOKS.
020 222 9363
057 400 3936.

VACANCIES, VACANCIES, VACANCIES !!!
SECURITY MEN/ WOMEN, DRIVERS, OFFIC ECLERKS, HOUSEHELPS. SALES CLERKS, CLEANERS, COOKS.
020 222 9363
057 400 3936.
KK 10 years ago

This is not an advertising platform. If you want people to work, then go to places where you can find them not here.Serious job seekers wouldn't take you serious

This is not an advertising platform. If you want people to work, then go to places where you can find them not here.Serious job seekers wouldn't take you serious
GHFUO, be serious & change ur MENtali 10 years ago

A BETTER, PROSPEROUS, MODERN, FORWARD THINKING GH STARTS WITH YOU!
IF YOUR LIVING SITUATION IS GOOD, THEN GHANA WILL BE GOOD.
IF YOU ARE CONFUSED, DISORIENTED, UNORGANIZED, FEARFUL, IN DEBT/DEATH,
THEN GH WILL BE THE SAME. ...
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A BETTER, PROSPEROUS, MODERN, FORWARD THINKING GH STARTS WITH YOU!
IF YOUR LIVING SITUATION IS GOOD, THEN GHANA WILL BE GOOD.
IF YOU ARE CONFUSED, DISORIENTED, UNORGANIZED, FEARFUL, IN DEBT/DEATH,
THEN GH WILL BE THE SAME.
TRAITS OF A DUMB GHANAIAN
1.LEAPS BEFORE HE LOOKS, THEN SAYS.."MEWUOO! AWURADE BUA ME OOOOO
2.HAS NO GRATITUDE. FASTFOOD BRAIN. EASILY FORGETS
3.HAS NO FORESIGHT. FAST FOOD MENTALITY
4.LACKS MENTALITY TO PLAN LONGTERM
5.COMPOUND INTEREST IS A MYTH
6.BELIEVES AND PLACES FAITH IN INNATE, ILLOGICAL IDEALS LIKE JUJU, FAMA NYAME, 3B3Y3 YIE WAI.
7.DESPISES RESEARCH
8.PREFERS TO ACT, SPEAK, AND REASON EMOTIONALLY, THAN LOGICALLY
9.COMFORTABLE WITH MEDIOCRITY
10.DESPISES CONTRUCTIVE CRITICISM
11.FUN OR PARTY TODAY, SUFFER LATER
12.INSTANT GRATIFICATION
13.PREFERS TO ARGUE, DEBATE INCESSANTLY WITHOUT REAL, CONCRETE, COLD HARD FACTS!
14.COMFORTABLE WITH MEDIOCRITY
15.INCAPABLE/LOOKS DOWN ON DOING CHARITABLE DUTIES
16.LACKS INITIATIVE
17.PREFERS TO STEAL, LIE, CHEAT, TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS
18.SUCCESS DOES NOT = HARDWORK AND CAREFUL PLANNING
19.HATES TO ASK
20.ALLERGIC TO CHANGE. INCAPABLE OF CHANGING FOR THE BETTER E.G TOO CORRUPTION, NO URBAN PLANNING, BAD INFRASTRUCTURE.....
21.ALWAYS LOOKING FOR THE EASY ROUTE, SHORTCUT TO SUCCESS
22.HEY SMALLBOY!....BRA HA!
23.BELIEVES SUCCESS IS ATTRIBUTED TO AWURADE NSHIRA(GOD'S BLESSING) AND NOT HARDWORK, DISCIPLINE AND CAREFUL PLANNING.
24.DOES NOT BELIEVE IN LEAVING ASSETS/PROPERTY FOR THEIR OFFSPRING.
25. ALWAYS PROCRASTINATING...M3Y3, M3Y3..AH, MESE M3Y3. MASSA, IF YOU R GOING TO PRESSURE ME THEN MENY3 BIOM!
26.SPENDS LOADS OF MONEY ON THE LOTTERY. WITHOUT TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THE REALITIES OF PROBABILITY.
27.BELIEVES IN LUCK, OVER HARDWORK AND DISCIPLINE.
28.BUILDS ASSETS, SKYSCRAPPERS, STADIUMS IN THEIR MOUTHS AND BELLYS!
29.PAY COLLECTION AND TITHES AT THE SAME CHURCH FOR DECADES. YET, NO STRUCTURAL
CHANGES TO THE CHURCH BUILDING, NO CHURCH SCHOOL/DAYCARE, NO INFRASTRUCTURAL UPGRADES LIKE ROADS NETWORKS, CHURCH HOSPITAL,
CHURCH FARM, CHURCH HOUSING, CHURCH RADIO, MECHANIC SHOPS, LOANS FOR MEMBERS, NO FOOD BANKS AND OR JOBBANKS TO HELP THEIR NEEDY CHURCH MEMBERS...REALLY!?
30. PREFERS HEDIOUS, EXPENSIVE HAIR WEAVES, CANCER CAUSING LIPO LIPO & MAKEUP, SKIN BLEACHING, EXPENSIVE FASHIONISTA DRESSES....(YET, SHE AINT GOT NO MONEY IN THE BANK!!!)
31. GOVT APPOINTEES: PERSONAL/SELFISH MONETARY GAINS OVER THE COLLECTIVE INTEREST. HOW DO U THINK COUPS, UPRISINGS, PUBLIC DISSIDENTS OCCUR??
32. BELIEVES WRONGFUL ACCUMMULATION OF WEALTH IS BETTER THAN A MAN'S LEGACY. WICKEDNESS, CALLOUSNESS, PROFESSIONAL FOOD POISONERS!
33. BLACK PPL DONT READ. IF YOU WANNA HIDE SOMETHING FROM THE BLACPERSON, PUT IT IN A BOOK!
34. INCAPABLE OF PLANNING: NO STREET NAMES, NO NUMBERED BUILDINGS, NO CITY PARKS, NO LIBRARIES, NO PAID PARKING IN THE CBD, NO STREET LIGHTS?..WHEN? ARE WE WAITING ON JESUS?
35. GHFUO, IF YOU WONT TOLERATE FOOLISH PEOPLE. YOU THINK GOD WILL? CAN GOD TOLERATE OUR STOOPID ACTIONS AND BEHAVIORS?
36. BILL GATES IS TRYING TO GET RICHER! USAIN BOLT IS TRYING TO GET FASTER! WESTERN NATIONS ARE BECOMING MORE EFFICIENT THROUGH TECHNOLOGY. WHAT IS GH GOVT. DOING?
37. NO DISCIPLINE IN DUTIES, NO DIGNITY IN SELF. SO YOU DO THINGS ANYHOW (IN JOE PESCI'S VOICE...LOL)
HAPPY, HEALTHY N A WEALTHY 2014 FOLKS!
38. WE HVE VULTURES AND VAMPIRES DISGUISED AS PASTORS, PRESIDENTS, MINISTERS, CHIEFS, ASSEMBLYMEN/WOMEN, DCE, MAYOR ETC...BLACK ZOMBIES!D
40. ME P3 SRADIE NAM AND CHOFI, SAUSAGE, HOTDOG: FYI, CHOLESTEROL DEATHS KILL MORE PPL THAN GUN CRIMES IN NORTH AMERICA.
41. PREFERS TO SEE THINGS NOT AS THEY RIGHTLY ARE, BUT HOW THEY WANT THEM TO BE.
42. GOD IS TIRED OF LISTENING TO UR LOUD, CRAZY, TONGUES FILLED PRAYERS. GOD HAS A HEADACHE!....ITS TIME TO BE PRACTICAL, GHANAIANS.
43. THE GH LACKS DISCIPLINE, LACKS DIGNITY.
44. CONSTANT PREPEARATION, PREPARATION, PREPARATION IS KEY TO SUCCESS, NOT JUJU, NOT GOD GIVEN TALENT, NOT CHEW N POUR!
45. PURPOSELY ENGAGES IN ACTIVITIES DETRIMENTAL TO HEALTH AND WELL BEING, BUT BELIEVES NYAME WO HO/GOD DEY. KWASIA!
46. WE DONT TAKE CHANCES. WE ARE TOO CAUTIOUS! WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME A GH DISCOVERED SOMETHING? LIKE A CURE FOR MALARIA, OR HOW TO MAKE TUO ZAAFI IN 5 MINUTES?
47. NO VISION, LACK OF AMBITION. SO WACK!
48. CAN NOT CONTROL/TAME THEIR EMOTIONS. TRIGGER HAPPY EMOTIONS...SO WACK!
49. WHEN WILL OUR GOVTS FINALLY PUT CORRUPTION COURTS IN PLACE? HOW MUCH REVENUE IS LOST PER YEAR DUE TO CORRUPTION? GH GOVT, ALWAYS PROCRASTINATING LIKE A FAGGOT....!!!
50. OUR ATTITUDE/APPROACH TOWARDS WORK, PROTECTING, MAINTAINING OUR NATIONAL ASSETS IS VERY, VERY, VERY POOR!!!
51. TOO MUCH TALKING, TOO MUCH PRAYING WITHOUT ACTION WONT GET US ANYWHERE....
52. KWESI PRATT IS RIGHT: ALL GHPPL KNOW IS TALKING, PRAYING N DISTURBING GOD. THEY SHOULD DISCUSS IDEAS AND PUT THEM INTO PRACTICE!
53. PRAY TO GOD TO PUT YOUR FUFU IN YOUR MOUTH AND SEE WHAT WILL HAPPEN.
54. MIND/BRAIN BLEACHING IS VERY, VERY REAL....
55. GH BRAND OF SOCCER IS LIKE A CHEF WHO COOKS fufu & ABENKWAN WITHOUT FOLLOWING THE FORMULA/RECIPE...MUAHAHAHAAAAAA
THEY THROW THE PALMnut, MEAT, FISH, VEGGIES, ONIONS, TOMATOES ETC ALL INTO THE POT AT ONCE...WEI Y3 NkWAN?
WEN THE SOUP TASTES SOUR, THEY PRAY TO GOD FOR HELP...MUAHAHAAAAAAAAA
WAA LOOK, TWWEEAAAA!

OBENG VISIONWORKS
tuxman06@yahoo.ca
skype: CHEWBACCA (@NIAGARA FALLS)
JOHN 10:10
THE TRUTH WILL MAKE U RICH!
AFRICANS ARE APES 10 years ago

The biggest impediment to implementing a new model id the inertia in the status quo. People dont like change, especially academia.

Most lecturers in ghana just dont even recycle their scripts. They have used the same lect ...
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The biggest impediment to implementing a new model id the inertia in the status quo. People dont like change, especially academia.

Most lecturers in ghana just dont even recycle their scripts. They have used the same lecture notes for the past 15 years and have lost bearing with what determines success after graduation
MOUNTAIN PATRIOT 10 years ago

IT IS WRONG TO SAY AFRICANS ARE APES.IT IS OUR STALE THINKING CAPACITY THAT IS HAMPARING OUR ADVANCMENT.WE ONLY TAKE WHAT THE WHITE MAN TEACHES US,BE CONTENT & SIT DOWN WITHOUT EXPLORING OUR POTENTIALS.OUR SO CALLED PROFFESSO ...
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IT IS WRONG TO SAY AFRICANS ARE APES.IT IS OUR STALE THINKING CAPACITY THAT IS HAMPARING OUR ADVANCMENT.WE ONLY TAKE WHAT THE WHITE MAN TEACHES US,BE CONTENT & SIT DOWN WITHOUT EXPLORING OUR POTENTIALS.OUR SO CALLED PROFFESSORS & LECTURERS ALL SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEIR ACADEMIC PROWESS BECOZ THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING TO IMPROVE OUR EDUCATION QUALITY TO OUR PROGRESS.THEY SIT DOWN ONLY TO EXPECTING THEIR NEXT PAYCHECK.
ELINAM 10 years ago

Modeled on a preacher and congregation. Western education system which was different from an African education system started in the church where the pastor at that time was the only person who knew how to read and since then ...
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Modeled on a preacher and congregation. Western education system which was different from an African education system started in the church where the pastor at that time was the only person who knew how to read and since then, that model has not change and poor Ghanaians just bought into it.
Time to find what could work for us.
Gye Nyame 10 years ago

We need to change to a more student-centered education system where there are more classroon discussions rather than what we do now. Student ought to be discussing IDEAS instead of just sitting and falling asleep in class. Th ...
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We need to change to a more student-centered education system where there are more classroon discussions rather than what we do now. Student ought to be discussing IDEAS instead of just sitting and falling asleep in class. This should start before the university level to get students to be thinkers instead of note takers.
ICONIC-07 10 years ago

THE SO-CALLED PROFESSORS OF OUR UNIVERSITIES ARE THE ENFANTS TERRIBLE OF OUR EDUCATION.

THE LAME-DUCK PROFESSORS LACK CRITICAL THINKING AND ARE AFRAID TO EDUCATE STUDENTS WITH CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS, FOR FEAR THAT ANALYT ...
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THE SO-CALLED PROFESSORS OF OUR UNIVERSITIES ARE THE ENFANTS TERRIBLE OF OUR EDUCATION.

THE LAME-DUCK PROFESSORS LACK CRITICAL THINKING AND ARE AFRAID TO EDUCATE STUDENTS WITH CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS, FOR FEAR THAT ANALYTICAL STUDENTS WOULD EXPOSE THEIR INTELLECTUAL WEAKNESSES.

THE AUTHOR IS PERFECTLY RIGHT THAT OUR INSTITUTIONS ARE PRODUCING SIT-AND-LISTEN-WITHOUT-QUESTION BY PRODUCTS.

UNFORTUNATELY, MOST OF THE LAME DUCK PROFESSORS MAY HAVE RECEIVED THEIR EDUCATION IN WESTERN COUNTRIES WHERE CRITICAL THINKING BASED ON STUDENT-CENTRED EDUCATION IS THE FOCAL POINT OF THE CURRICULUM.

THIS ALLOW STUDENTS TO CRITIQUE PROFESSORS WHO ARE ACCOUNTABLE TO STUDENTS BY DEFAULT AND EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS, GUIDELINES AND LAW.

THE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNTRY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH EDUCATION, BUT THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION WHO HAS TO ADVICE THE GOVERNMENT REGARDING SOUND EDUCATION FOR OUR STUDENTS AND THE GOOD OF THE COUNTRY.

GO TO CHINA AND OTHER SOUTH EAST ASIAN COUNTRIES AND YOU WOULD BE SURPRISED THAT THE ARE MAKING STRIDES.

ALUTA CONTINUA!!!!!!!
yanks 10 years ago

of the time in school is spent on learning about foreign cultures and languages. Thus how much time is left to learn anything productive. Most of the profs rely on notes that are very old and not relevant to modern times.

of the time in school is spent on learning about foreign cultures and languages. Thus how much time is left to learn anything productive. Most of the profs rely on notes that are very old and not relevant to modern times.
EZEKIEL 10 years ago

...and SINCE YOUR SO-CALLED INDEPENDENCE, what have you done to better the system?? Talk is Cheap.Look at the number of Profs. we have in Ghana and yet NOTHING is moving systematically!!

...and SINCE YOUR SO-CALLED INDEPENDENCE, what have you done to better the system?? Talk is Cheap.Look at the number of Profs. we have in Ghana and yet NOTHING is moving systematically!!
Kwesi Mensah 10 years ago

Young grads should be given a chance after graduating. We have all these post-retirement age cronies of the ruling parties in positions that should be going to others. Why should Bigadier-General Nunoo-Mensah have a job creat ...
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Young grads should be given a chance after graduating. We have all these post-retirement age cronies of the ruling parties in positions that should be going to others. Why should Bigadier-General Nunoo-Mensah have a job created for him at 80 years of age as Human Security Coordinator? Why should Kwesi Botchwey, Ghana's longest-serving Finance Minister continue in state employment as an Economics Advisor? What at all has his advice done for the falling cedi? Where are the jobs even if the Universities become perfect in the eyes of Haffar? What should young grads set up their businesses with when there are no VENTURE CAPITALISTS in Ghana and ONLY CRONY CAPITALISTS?

Haffar should cut the crap and tell the truth: those who think somebody owes them a living are all those filling ruling-party patronage jobs, the parasitic elites like Sam Jonah, Kwesi Botchwey, Nunoo-Mensah and many others who are all on the state payroll. Why should convicted criminals (internationally-exposed bribe takers) like Sipa Yankey be put in charge of state enterprises like Ghana Gas? Why should Asantehene and Kofi Annan be Chancellors of our universities? Why should there be 8 Ambassadors appointed with no assigned countries? If Haffar wants to find out who are lazy and think the state owes them a living he should look no farther than the government and bureaucracy. Leave the young grads alone if you are not going to help them!
ELINAM 10 years ago

The point is they're unemployable.The economy at the moment requires thinkers and innovators and they are none of that.
Mahama tried it with more young people in his cabinet and what do we see, a personality showcase instead ...
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The point is they're unemployable.The economy at the moment requires thinkers and innovators and they are none of that.
Mahama tried it with more young people in his cabinet and what do we see, a personality showcase instead of rolling off their sleeves and get dirty.
The secondary schools and colleges in Ghana do not train/educate students to come out and get dirty but to be clean and sit behind desks forgetting that building a nation is a dirty work.
Kantanka. HH 10 years ago

Studying medicine in Romania begins from the onset the theory and the clinicals. Our Universities should introduce this in all the faculties. Pragmatic attention to modern trends as a tendency of solving problems is much wel ...
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Studying medicine in Romania begins from the onset the theory and the clinicals. Our Universities should introduce this in all the faculties. Pragmatic attention to modern trends as a tendency of solving problems is much welcome. Areas of less help to our development culturally, socially or economically should vanish from the curriculum
MENSAH 10 years ago

Students laziness springs right from the classroom.
TECHNOCRATS IN AFRICA DO NOT USE THEIR EXPERTISE/BRAINS to create anything for the youth to do and learn from them.
Therefore,lack of creativity expected from them is not ...
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Students laziness springs right from the classroom.
TECHNOCRATS IN AFRICA DO NOT USE THEIR EXPERTISE/BRAINS to create anything for the youth to do and learn from them.
Therefore,lack of creativity expected from them is not there.

WHAT DO THESE YOUTH DO TO SUSTAIN A LIVING,LET ALONE PLANNING THEIR FUTURE?
NOTHING,NOTHING,NOTHING,NOTHING.

Our technocrats have failed us and the industrial/Technical know-how gap,between the developed and the development countries are widening,by every fraction of a second.
THAT MAKES IT TOO SCARY FOR OUR CHILDREN'S FUTURE.
We can't blame our youth at school alone of laziness but our leaders as well.
SCHOOL CHILDREN ARE NOT IN BRIBERY & CORRUPTION BUT THE GROWN UPS.
Okokroko Tafiakpa 10 years ago

We always blame the Head of State but we do have a Parliament and we are not in an autocratic nation where the nation is ruled by one man . So it is Parliament which has to be blamed .

We always blame the Head of State but we do have a Parliament and we are not in an autocratic nation where the nation is ruled by one man . So it is Parliament which has to be blamed .
Philip 10 years ago

This prof must be listened to by the youth themselves they would be the losers not JMD our president

This prof must be listened to by the youth themselves they would be the losers not JMD our president
banku 10 years ago

its totally true my dear father

its totally true my dear father
John,Tema 10 years ago

How many universities do we have at the moment i.e. both public and private?Has the National Accreditation Board got what it takes to monitor what they are doing especially the private ones?

How many universities do we have at the moment i.e. both public and private?Has the National Accreditation Board got what it takes to monitor what they are doing especially the private ones?
yag 10 years ago

In my opinion if your age group had worked hard and been creative enough the economy would have accommodated all present graduates irrespectively. The graduates of 60s and 70s were not creative enough so don't put a blanket b ...
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In my opinion if your age group had worked hard and been creative enough the economy would have accommodated all present graduates irrespectively. The graduates of 60s and 70s were not creative enough so don't put a blanket blame .Every graduate should be job creater not job seeker.
KWAA 10 years ago

So we shouldn`t change,because the graduates of 60s and 70s were not creative enough?
Oh my God,Ghana.

So we shouldn`t change,because the graduates of 60s and 70s were not creative enough?
Oh my God,Ghana.
Higher brains 10 years ago

@Yag sorry but your line of thought shows exactly what Haffar is trying to say--Laziness! If you cared to think harder and researched a bit instead of the usual Ghanaian 'jumping to silly conclusions' you would know that the ...
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@Yag sorry but your line of thought shows exactly what Haffar is trying to say--Laziness! If you cared to think harder and researched a bit instead of the usual Ghanaian 'jumping to silly conclusions' you would know that the 60's and 70's educated people are the ones who have created practically ALL the companies worth its sort in today's Ghana. Not withstanding the ones DESTROYED by Rawlings and his henchmen in the 80's and 90's.Just research about successful companies and you will realise that it is owned by a Ghanaian who did not go through your 'sausage packing' education at Tech or Legon in the 90's except Law! That you can churn out as many as possible BECAUSE they do not need to create anything..only Chew and POUR!! So get your facts right!!
yag 10 years ago

Higher brains. Find out those factories were already suffering from managerial deficiency.lack of maintainance and innovation that was why they collapsed in the 80s and 90s.What was SEC managers and directors living in bungal ...
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Higher brains. Find out those factories were already suffering from managerial deficiency.lack of maintainance and innovation that was why they collapsed in the 80s and 90s.What was SEC managers and directors living in bungalows with all it takes.Our method of hiring is the problem. Any establishment that the management have employees relations collapsed fast.
Aba 10 years ago

Starts right from the roots. Teachers right from the beginning are not proactive; spoon-feeding kids bcos they want the easy way out, while the white man will pick everything from first principles even in teaching how to read ...
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Starts right from the roots. Teachers right from the beginning are not proactive; spoon-feeding kids bcos they want the easy way out, while the white man will pick everything from first principles even in teaching how to read, involve the kids and let them learn hows and whys we learn with 'repeat to stick'. A white kid would always grow with an investigative mind looking for how and why while we only look forward to being served with facts, not even aggressive to search for those facts ourselves. We have a poor curriculum throughout all the stages, and it takes those who have had the feel of the good systems, like Haffar, to be proactive themselves to bring change and stop blaming systems. This is not even only with the universitis, but polytechnics, technical schools, high schools down to the basic schools.
Kwesi Mensah 10 years ago

In the developed countries the rich sponsor grads and others with new ideas with VENTURE CAPITAL to put those ideas into practice by setting up companies or doing advanced research. That is how many of the innovative companie ...
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In the developed countries the rich sponsor grads and others with new ideas with VENTURE CAPITAL to put those ideas into practice by setting up companies or doing advanced research. That is how many of the innovative companies have come into existence especially in the high-tech / information technology field.

So to all those whining and putting down our graduates - who did not benefit from "free" education like Haffar's generation did - and have had to put up with overcrowded halls of residence and poor services, the question must be asked: how many grads have the Ghanaian multi-millionaires sponsored with venture capital? How many universities have the Ghanaian millionaires endowed with research money? How many grads has Haffar employed and mentored or helped to find jobs? Isn't the priority of the Ghanaian elites who are mostly kleptocrats putting up 100-room mansions and buying the latest luxury vehicle? Tweeaah! Leave the young people alone, you old, parasitic bunch of state resource thieves!
Yaw Manu 10 years ago

You took all the words from my mouth.

You took all the words from my mouth.
KENNI 10 years ago

GOOD POINT

GOOD POINT
kwaku 10 years ago

Good observations and please continue to propagate this issue across the countries tertiaries institutions.
Regards

Good observations and please continue to propagate this issue across the countries tertiaries institutions.
Regards
Fo. Kwaku - Tanyingbe 10 years ago

OUR EDUCATION DOES NOT MAKE US CRITICAL THINKERS. CHEW, POUR, PASS AND FORGET. EDUCATION SHOULD BE PROBLEM SOLVING

OUR EDUCATION DOES NOT MAKE US CRITICAL THINKERS. CHEW, POUR, PASS AND FORGET. EDUCATION SHOULD BE PROBLEM SOLVING
Shabi 10 years ago

Anis Haffar, you have my vote and it is not only the mode and style of education that is the problem.

The greater problem is the bad self-defeating substance of education in this country.

Look at our educate 'elite'. ...
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Anis Haffar, you have my vote and it is not only the mode and style of education that is the problem.

The greater problem is the bad self-defeating substance of education in this country.

Look at our educate 'elite'. They are manufactured, colonially domesticated and manipulated zombies and goons who continuously prescribe policies which are guaranteed to fail and to ensure that our educated 'elite' virtually give-away our resources and wealth to others instead of to ourselves.
Kwesi Agbenu 10 years ago

Ghanas politics churn out lazy, infantalised, helpless and incompetent Presidents

Ghanas politics churn out lazy, infantalised, helpless and incompetent Presidents
WOFA YAW 10 years ago

Sir,you are great.this is the type of people we need in the country.not those who criticize unnecessary.sir thank you very much.and i hope government will listen to you.

Sir,you are great.this is the type of people we need in the country.not those who criticize unnecessary.sir thank you very much.and i hope government will listen to you.
Rahim 10 years ago

No wonder, the president is lazying or rather sleeping on the job, and his so called evil dwarf ministers sit behind the desk the whole day only to open their mouth to spit rubbish like animals. This educationist explanation ...
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No wonder, the president is lazying or rather sleeping on the job, and his so called evil dwarf ministers sit behind the desk the whole day only to open their mouth to spit rubbish like animals. This educationist explanation is clear.
Visitor from USA 10 years ago

Brother, you hit the nail right on its head. It's about time the university are sent to the workforce to obtain practical experience in their field of study for a year. Then they can come back refreshed to see the value of th ...
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Brother, you hit the nail right on its head. It's about time the university are sent to the workforce to obtain practical experience in their field of study for a year. Then they can come back refreshed to see the value of their education in correlation with book work.

We have engineers who sit behind desks with no practical experience. Drive along the major highways & observe Chinese workers building the roads. U mean they are no road engineers in Ghana? Come on, we are selling our country to foreigners.

There is no shame in spring or copying the ideas from the western world. That's how the Koreans and Chinese did it. It is not difficult to build a car with the information spread on the internet. Yet we have huge SUVs parading on crappy highways and roads.

Kwame Nkrumah is crying in his grave. He never dreamed Ghana will find itself with vivid poverty, non-performing health care services and "lazy infantalised helpless " educational system.

Btw:.why do the big shots drive on the wrong side of the road with police detail? It's crazy and nerve wrecking!
Kwame Angel 10 years ago

They cut down the pre-university from 7 to 3 years and had Home Science teachers teaching carpentry? Then they sent their own children to foreign countries and out of the system they said was so good for Ghana.

They cut down the pre-university from 7 to 3 years and had Home Science teachers teaching carpentry? Then they sent their own children to foreign countries and out of the system they said was so good for Ghana.
spanky 10 years ago

When contributors are coming out with objective and intelligent comments all you do is to pollute this interllectual atmosphere with the usual npp/ndc nonsense.If you are not capable of thinking properly then stay off the web ...
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When contributors are coming out with objective and intelligent comments all you do is to pollute this interllectual atmosphere with the usual npp/ndc nonsense.If you are not capable of thinking properly then stay off the web.You lazy thinker.
Abeeku Mensah 10 years ago

There are many lecturers at the various universities in Ghana who are honestly not fit to teach at elementary school levels; they never came around to understand what it is to be educated and or the role and impact of the cla ...
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There are many lecturers at the various universities in Ghana who are honestly not fit to teach at elementary school levels; they never came around to understand what it is to be educated and or the role and impact of the classroom learning ideals.
For example, we have a lot of PhD holders at GIMPA who lack innovative thinking process and thus adhere strictly to marketing, finance, economics, accounting and business management principles and theories true to form but cannot phantom their application in real world Ghana. They therefore continue to set examination and test questions using case study work samples from US and other emerging market nation while the Ghanaian business, business practices and environment offer plenty case study work sampling. To have some of those principles and theories work in Ghana both students and lecturers will have to tweak the ideal environments which contribute to successes of those principles in western free market systems and cultural practices.
These are the very lecturers who cannot agree with student thesis subject matter unless the thesis subject matter is about something the lecturers hold some sway; lecturers mostly want subjects they’ve written on or know other colleagues who may have written about. These lecturers and instructors in Ghana thus stifle independent thinking of their students and hide behind their authority to award grade as leverage over student classroom participation. In most instances, students are compelled to acquiesce to their line of thinking and or approach to solving problems of their respective instructors. Most of the lecturers sought these advanced degrees to acquire office jobs and not for the true practical application where results form the basis for evaluation and or performance appraisals. In Ghana we love going with the flow and not adventure and it shows.
Lapee 10 years ago

To most of the students, Maths is a Myth. It doesn't exist and if you want to force it you will get the worst evaluations, which in turn can lead to your sanctioning and possible dismissal.

The leaders of the institutions ...
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To most of the students, Maths is a Myth. It doesn't exist and if you want to force it you will get the worst evaluations, which in turn can lead to your sanctioning and possible dismissal.

The leaders of the institutions mostly have "what we call literary ARTS degrees", and will side with the students in a heartbeat.

Computers! Ha ha ha. Go to the universities and find out how many lecture rooms have computers. The lecture rooms of our universities are not better equipped than the High School classrooms, "bare with chairs lined up". And this is 2013...sorry 2014.

Tweaaaa! Yes I said "Tweaaa" mr. DCE.
Buwalay Ta 10 years ago

Universities are to develop critical thinkers. If you don't sit, how do your develop this. Your point really should be that not all the students are qualified to be critical thinkers. they are forced into the university setti ...
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Universities are to develop critical thinkers. If you don't sit, how do your develop this. Your point really should be that not all the students are qualified to be critical thinkers. they are forced into the university setting and can do nothing graduation. our problem is the remuneration system. period
Josh 10 years ago

We need to change our educational system. I was a product of technical education but had to change to secondary education due to the perception that all technical students are unintelligent. In China brilliant students are al ...
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We need to change our educational system. I was a product of technical education but had to change to secondary education due to the perception that all technical students are unintelligent. In China brilliant students are all technically biased. This had made China the fastest growing economy in the world. Our technical education system is dying. Lets wake up as a country.
Dadi 10 years ago

You are one of a kind we need in this country.

You are one of a kind we need in this country.
Jugubu 10 years ago

If you say it, you in trouble. In Ghana people who think are not rewarded those who say what the people want to hear and spin for political gain are the ones rewarded.

Its a pity!

If you say it, you in trouble. In Ghana people who think are not rewarded those who say what the people want to hear and spin for political gain are the ones rewarded.

Its a pity!
mky 10 years ago

This Haffar guy is not an educationist in the true sense of the word...an educationist worth his/her salt won't issue such a blanket indictment of a whole generation of students without giving much thought to the restructured ...
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This Haffar guy is not an educationist in the true sense of the word...an educationist worth his/her salt won't issue such a blanket indictment of a whole generation of students without giving much thought to the restructured system of education that has in essence created "this bunch of lazy students." Nothing in his assertion is true....some courses primarily liberal arts courses require that you sit and listen to an expert explain the nuances of literature, economics, international relations etc while practical courses such as engineering, medicine, architecture and lab sciences demand practical hands-on experience out in the field. Couldn't Mr. Haffar point out the difference between these groups of students? To label young graduates as lazy is disingenuous, lazy and grossly unfair to young people who have toiled hard for their education and can't be accommodated by a rather small and severely underdeveloped economy....where was the blame on the national economy that has not expanded in more than a decade? Mr. Haffar is such a hypocrite I want to throw up....
Nyansa 10 years ago

I guess Mr. Haffar is lazy too because he came through the same system.

I guess Mr. Haffar is lazy too because he came through the same system.
Kwame 10 years ago

Haffer said we got ignorance. If what is written here is true, then Haffer saw all Ghanaian graduates holding pen and paper. Anyway does this country make use of critical thinking since all what we do is brought here by the B ...
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Haffer said we got ignorance. If what is written here is true, then Haffer saw all Ghanaian graduates holding pen and paper. Anyway does this country make use of critical thinking since all what we do is brought here by the Briton Woods Institutions and pushed into our brain. Where are the plans of for instance sea defense drawn by the AESL lying. What about the various projects by Ghanaian engineers for preservation, preparing food and managing material. It seems that Mr. Anis Haffer has been in the classroom to much and should come out for some fresh air.
Kwesi Mensah 10 years ago

Haffar's generation enjoyed free education from elementary school to the university level. In the university, they slept in individual rooms with room service just like in hotels. They even had afternoon tea and snacks brough ...
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Haffar's generation enjoyed free education from elementary school to the university level. In the university, they slept in individual rooms with room service just like in hotels. They even had afternoon tea and snacks brought up to their rooms! When they graduated they were immediately "hooked up" with some fat job in an air-conditioned office in one of the civil service or one of the state enterprises. Some were also lucky to be employed by private, foreign companies. Graduate unemployment was completely unknown in those days. In fact, the new grad had his/her pick of jobs to accept and to turn down!

What have all these "non-lazy" people, many of whom looted money from their state employment to become multimillionaires, done to help today's graduates with their stolen millions? Take Kwesi Botchwey, who is said to be worth US$300 million. What has he done to help our new graduates? This guy who was a beneficiary of the Nkrumah free -education policy was a university lecturer (state employment) for many years. Then he became Finance Minister (state employment) for 13 years under the Rawlings dictatorship. When he realized that the NDC was about to loose the impending election in 2000, he left and found a teaching job in the US. In 2008 after Mills won, he came back and was employed again as an Economic Advisor at the Castle to this day (state employment). Now, remember it was under his authority as Finance Minister, that the Nkrumah-era state enterprises were "dongomi-ed", looted or left to rot. More than 300 enterprises! Yet he continues in state employment at his age while new economics / finance graduates have no jobs! These parasites of state employment are the same people who say our graduates are adding insult to injury by accusing our new graduates of being "lazy". They also shout that our graduates should set up their own business (even while THEY continue in state employment after retiring age!). WITH WHAT should our graduates set up their own jobs when they even have to live with their parents and depend on their impoverished, retired parents for food and other necessities? Look at another parasite - "Sir" Jonah! He worked all his life at Obuasi (state employment). Then he engineered the taking over of the mine by Anglo-South African interests for which he was handsomely rewarded in stocks in South African mines and British knighthood! Today he still continues his parasitism as the Chancellor of Cape Coast University (state employment). What have Sam Jonah and Kwesi Botchwey done to help young graduates of Ghanaian universities? NOTHING. Rather they are PARASITES and they are the LAZY ones. Shouldn't these corrupt elites use their stolen millions to set up companies IN GHANA that employ university graduates? Tweeaaah to Haffar and his parasitic, LAZY, thieving generation!
DusTY-FooT-pHiloSophER 10 years ago

I don't entirely sway with Mr. Anis Haffar's insertion on Ghana educational curriculum either. If such is his calculation, then our university graduates would have stood no chance outside the walls of Ghana as well. But, the ...
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I don't entirely sway with Mr. Anis Haffar's insertion on Ghana educational curriculum either. If such is his calculation, then our university graduates would have stood no chance outside the walls of Ghana as well. But, the opposite is the obvious story of that to his, all over as far as Ghanaian graduates are concerned. The missing-link in our educational syllabus is the innovative aspect he also groomed over. That, together with the sense of direction, foresight and what have you in today's evolving world economy is the criticality we should armpit and ponder over with seriousness.
Kakalika 10 years ago

The proper way to say it is either, "MR. ANIS HAFFAR'S RANTS DO NOT HOLD SWAY" or "MR. ANIS HAFFAR'S RANT DOES NOT HOLD SWAY". You missed both.

Then again, you say, "I don't entirely sway with Mr. Anis Haffar's insertion o ...
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The proper way to say it is either, "MR. ANIS HAFFAR'S RANTS DO NOT HOLD SWAY" or "MR. ANIS HAFFAR'S RANT DOES NOT HOLD SWAY". You missed both.

Then again, you say, "I don't entirely sway with Mr. Anis Haffar's insertion on Ghana educational curriculum either." It seems you want to say assertion instead of insertion.

There are others as well but much as I think that I understood all that you wanted to put across in your rejoinder, it makes reading and understanding your point much easier for all if you would just simply take time to write them instead of rushing through with a lot of lop-sided tenses and mistakes which makes reading very uncomfortable and uninteresting.

I am not an expert in the English language but I want to read and understand what others also have to say on a given subject.
DusTY-FooT-pHiloSophER 10 years ago

“MR. ANIS HAFFAR'S RANTS DO NOT HOLD SWAY” was what I meant to capture, but simply omitted the (S), just like omitting a comer in your “There are others as well, but much as I think”.... The "insertion" is another one ...
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“MR. ANIS HAFFAR'S RANTS DO NOT HOLD SWAY” was what I meant to capture, but simply omitted the (S), just like omitting a comer in your “There are others as well, but much as I think”.... The "insertion" is another one of such and I do apologize for that as well. Now, which are the further mistakes and lop-sided tenses I need to address on my rejoinder?
DusTY-FooT-pHiloSophER 10 years ago

"Commer" should rather read comma.

"Commer" should rather read comma.
sam 10 years ago

@Kwasi Mensah, you couldn't have said it better. RIGHT ON POINT!

@Kwasi Mensah, you couldn't have said it better. RIGHT ON POINT!
Ibn Batuta 10 years ago

Even in the liberal arts students must be fully engaged and not lectured to. A good lecturer will allow its students to read the material ahead of time and use the classroom solely for discussions. In Ghana they simply sit do ...
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Even in the liberal arts students must be fully engaged and not lectured to. A good lecturer will allow its students to read the material ahead of time and use the classroom solely for discussions. In Ghana they simply sit down and take notes with minimal give and take that is why there is absolutely no new knowledge coming out of our universities. They are in essence glorified high schools
akwasi nimo 10 years ago

What is happening to the economy is a relflection of the quality of education the country has. Our education does not allow students to think and create solutions to problems. Indeed the future is bleek

What is happening to the economy is a relflection of the quality of education the country has. Our education does not allow students to think and create solutions to problems. Indeed the future is bleek
Augie 10 years ago

This is a stupid talk. Look universities like Cambridge and Oxford have not changed their mode of teaching but they still produce top class students. We need to start talking sense in Ghana otherwise the future is bleak. It i ...
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This is a stupid talk. Look universities like Cambridge and Oxford have not changed their mode of teaching but they still produce top class students. We need to start talking sense in Ghana otherwise the future is bleak. It is lack of resources where lecture rooms are overflowing and science laboratories are empty etc which is causing the poor quality.
Lazy 10 years ago

Oxford and Cambridge educate their graduates to be problem solvers not theorists. They are not trained to call on the clergy for endless prayers when they have economic crises. They call on some their best to strategize and ...
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Oxford and Cambridge educate their graduates to be problem solvers not theorists. They are not trained to call on the clergy for endless prayers when they have economic crises. They call on some their best to strategize and plan.
okofo 10 years ago

You're off the issue: You need to think deeper than lecture rooms or comparism of Cambridge and Oxford to Ghana's universities.

Haffer is talking about CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS and MINDSET or ATTITUDAL change. In other wo ...
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You're off the issue: You need to think deeper than lecture rooms or comparism of Cambridge and Oxford to Ghana's universities.

Haffer is talking about CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS and MINDSET or ATTITUDAL change. In other words, "revolutionalizing" our educational system ok?
John Adusei 10 years ago

I know Haffar. He taught in the US for many years. The US system encourages creativity. We need to seriously look at our curriculum if we are going to effect any meaningful change in our nation.

I know Haffar. He taught in the US for many years. The US system encourages creativity. We need to seriously look at our curriculum if we are going to effect any meaningful change in our nation.
Lazy 10 years ago

Thank you

Thank you
Kwesi Mensah 10 years ago

Very often the problem in Ghana is the wholesale application of foreign approaches to problem-solving in our national situation without all the components of the foreign approach being present in Ghana. You can talk about tri ...
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Very often the problem in Ghana is the wholesale application of foreign approaches to problem-solving in our national situation without all the components of the foreign approach being present in Ghana. You can talk about trimming the state payroll. It is a good idea but do we have in Ghana any social safety net system? Likewise it's all well and good to advocate that our grads should not depend on the state for employment and should try to set up their own companies. The problem not discussed, however, is that in Ghana we have no Venture Capital companies to back the transformation of ideas into products.

Our "Americanophilia" is quite laughable. We have turned to an infantile replication of the nomenclature for several US institutions and political traditions e.g. "Internal Revenue Department", "Environmental Protection Agency", "State of the Union" address etc. Yet we have not adopted the critical components of these institutions as they apply to our situation. Whales beach up on our coasts but the Ghana "EPA" does not see it as its duty or rather is not equipped to perform autopsies and supervise the safe disposal of the mammals. Is our "Internal Revenue Department" really resourced to collect all the taxes it should when the rich get away with not paying for utilities?

Yes, we need to take a look at our curriculum and make necessary changes but what about the practical end of things? How is the creatively-thinking graduate going to set up a business to manufacture some super-efficient solar cells or computer tablets or energy-saving stoves and washing machines etc, etc? Who is going to finance his venture? Which banks or other financial institutions?
Yaw 10 years ago

When has education(the key to success in life),been made useful in Ghana for you to shift blame now?
Most Ghanaians just like boasting of qualifications otherwise why must somebody study engineering,agriculture other tecnica ...
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When has education(the key to success in life),been made useful in Ghana for you to shift blame now?
Most Ghanaians just like boasting of qualifications otherwise why must somebody study engineering,agriculture other tecnical related courses and find themselves working as managers at the banks and other jobs unrelated to what they studied?
The perception of Ghanaians,our understanding of life and what it involves are what's wrong.
We're always quick to lash out blames without looking for the course.
What i know for a fact is Ghanaians can be or are hardworking based on my living and working with them both home and abroad.
The difference is we,re not rewarded handsomely in Ghana and that's where motivation deminishes.
If the writer(Haffar)is looking for answers,the current system needs modification.
Please don't blame/criticise one generation for we've all not done any justice to our country.
Lazy 10 years ago

He is not blaming a generation. He is blaming what the education system has and is doing to a generation. Identifying and accepting a problem is a major step towards a solution.

He is not blaming a generation. He is blaming what the education system has and is doing to a generation. Identifying and accepting a problem is a major step towards a solution.
Soothsayer 10 years ago

My brother, you certainly have a problem in thinking the rewards system in Ghana is the problem. Well, It isn't! The problem is the education and work culture in Ghana for the past 30 years. Nobody does anything. Lectures ...
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My brother, you certainly have a problem in thinking the rewards system in Ghana is the problem. Well, It isn't! The problem is the education and work culture in Ghana for the past 30 years. Nobody does anything. Lectures are only interested in selling worthless pamphlets and teaching undergrads as if there PHD students.
okofo 10 years ago

This man will pass as Minister for Education: He is conscientized and therefore capable of scrapping the colonialized carricula.

Our academic system is producing ignorant youth who rubbish African culture and copy foreign ...
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This man will pass as Minister for Education: He is conscientized and therefore capable of scrapping the colonialized carricula.

Our academic system is producing ignorant youth who rubbish African culture and copy foreign lifestyles, albeit over the board, which make them look and act STUPID!!!

We're doomed unless there's a revolution in our learning processes!! Africans, bring something to the world platform for non-Africans to copy too. Enough of the foreign culture, because it's making us look STUPID.... ABA!!!!
Kofi Asamoah USA. 10 years ago

TRUE.

TRUE.
Seth - USA 10 years ago

This seems very rough to some people, but HE is right

This seems very rough to some people, but HE is right
Soothsayer 10 years ago

This has been a well kept secret in Ghana for the past 25 years. It's is a shame!

This has been a well kept secret in Ghana for the past 25 years. It's is a shame!
PATRIOT 10 years ago

.

.
Okponglo Guy 10 years ago

It is pathetic when these JSS products finally arrive in the West. They are damn lazy and you wonder if you emerged from such an educational system.

The competition from the previous system though helped and still does to ...
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It is pathetic when these JSS products finally arrive in the West. They are damn lazy and you wonder if you emerged from such an educational system.

The competition from the previous system though helped and still does to some extent but boy, we need an overhaul in our entire system. No wonder we have the administration and civil service is full of lazy and incompetent people.

We must strive for EXCELLENCE!
MARCUS AMPADU 10 years ago

Attacking Ghana' education system this way without offering any specific recommendation is counterproductive. There is no doubt that our obsolete education system needs a radical reform to give all our young ones the best edu ...
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Attacking Ghana' education system this way without offering any specific recommendation is counterproductive. There is no doubt that our obsolete education system needs a radical reform to give all our young ones the best education money can buy, and also prepare them for the world of work. But going to radioxyz's Breakfast Show - Quality Education to call the products of the system as "lazy, infantalised, helpless graduates" is like throwing meat to a pack of ravenous hyenas.

On GhanaWeb your attack solicited largely thoughtless condemnation; precisely because you did not offer any specific solution to problem.

We constantly attack our young people for being passive learners who just sit and copy, chew and pour. However, we never teach them how to question, reasoning with model, analyzing with data, using evidence to support explanations and arguing productively; neither do we ever teach them how conduct scientific investigation or how to interpret a text.

Yes our students deserve rigorous learning, for this to materialize our teachers have to receive regular professional development, in addition to developing and nurturing a dynamic parent-student-teacher relationship.

It is about time our educational policy makers incorporate the 5C's - Critical thinking, Culture, Collaboration, Creativity and Communiaction into designing our curriculum.
Aba 10 years ago

True talk. I hope Haffar is not trying to tell us the lecturers themselves are not to blame because if the students are faced with higher requirements from lecturers to pass, they would have no option than to be on the move, ...
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True talk. I hope Haffar is not trying to tell us the lecturers themselves are not to blame because if the students are faced with higher requirements from lecturers to pass, they would have no option than to be on the move, but if a lecturer can say the syllabus hasn't changed and keep delivering the same old stuff and repeating exam questions because he's himself too lazy to work, then they help the students to be lazy. This is not only with the universities but the polytechnics, training colleges, high schools, down to the basic schools. If we are ready to compare ourselves with other countries, then we should be prepared to make the kind of commitments those countries make.
Adjei, Kwadjo 10 years ago

ANIS HAFFAR IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. IT IS ABOUT TIME WE CRITICALLY REVIEW THE WAY WE EDUCATE AND TRAIN OUR FUTURE CITIZENS. THE DAYS ARE GONE FOR THE 'CHEW-POUR AND FORGET' MENTALITY. WE NOW NEED TO MAKE EDUCATION AND TRAINING O ...
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ANIS HAFFAR IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. IT IS ABOUT TIME WE CRITICALLY REVIEW THE WAY WE EDUCATE AND TRAIN OUR FUTURE CITIZENS. THE DAYS ARE GONE FOR THE 'CHEW-POUR AND FORGET' MENTALITY. WE NOW NEED TO MAKE EDUCATION AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES TO BE CREATIVE, PRACTICAL, CONSTRUCTIVE AND EXPLORE ALL OUR POTENTIALS IN WHATEVER AREAS OR DISCIPLINES. WE MUST VALUE TRAINING, RESEARCH AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND CHALLENGE THE STATUS-QUO. IT IS A FALACY TO THINK THAT THE TEACHER OR LECTURER IS ALWAYS RIGHT. OUR EDUCATED ONES MUST BE ABLE TO COMPETE WITH THEIR COUNTERPARTS IN THE OUTSIDE WORLD
Giiidaa 10 years ago

thats the tragedy we are facing today as students of the so called premier universities in ghana. however the stake holders have to stand for the change in the style and the curricula of the ghanaian child

thats the tragedy we are facing today as students of the so called premier universities in ghana. however the stake holders have to stand for the change in the style and the curricula of the ghanaian child
KANE 10 years ago

THIS STARTED SHORTLY AFTER NKRUMAH'S CPP, AND THE DAMN RESULTS ARE WHAT WE ARE WITNESSING NOW.

THIS STARTED SHORTLY AFTER NKRUMAH'S CPP, AND THE DAMN RESULTS ARE WHAT WE ARE WITNESSING NOW.
dunaa 10 years ago

Mr. Haffar is right. When Ghana gained independence, Kwame Nkrumah had no choice but to appoint all available Ghanaians to replace the British administrators who were leaving Ghana. These Ghanaian university graduates had not ...
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Mr. Haffar is right. When Ghana gained independence, Kwame Nkrumah had no choice but to appoint all available Ghanaians to replace the British administrators who were leaving Ghana. These Ghanaian university graduates had not management skills or exposure whatsoever but they were needed so they got he jobs. Fast forward all these years later, and we are still automatically giving very responsible positions to people out of our universities who have no clue how to manage a company or even a government. I went to university in America, and I had a friend whose father owned an electronics company. After we graduated, my friend got a job at his father's company, but in the mail room. My friend, who could have come in at the top of the company was made to learn the way the company worked from the ground up. Five years later, he was vice president of the company and he knew how the company and the industry worked very thoroughly! I remember reading articles in this website stating that students at the universities in Ghana were bad-mouthing Jake Obetsebi Lamptey because Jake was not certificated! How dumb is that? Some of the most productive people that we have ever heard of were never certificated. Bill Gates of Microsoft fame dropped out of the university for instance. Zuckerberg of Facebook fame also dropped out of the university for instance! Don't get me wrong here. Being certificated is all right, but not being certificated should not be a disqualification for being productive in the society either. Ghanaians are lazy and universally corrupt. Perhaps we are corrupt because we are also lazy. A cause and effect dynamic!
charles koduah 10 years ago

I think Mr.Haffar is on point,but you can't look at Ghana's education system without looking at our culture.We have a culture that doesn't recognise children as people with brains.A kid who asks a lot questions is considered ...
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I think Mr.Haffar is on point,but you can't look at Ghana's education system without looking at our culture.We have a culture that doesn't recognise children as people with brains.A kid who asks a lot questions is considered as a troublemaker or doesn't respect the elderly.Critical thinking has to start at an early age,when kids are always curious.The elderly in this society needs to understand that the young people will rule the country someday and we need to involve them at an early age.
Ama 10 years ago

Bingo, saw a few cvs and I had to tell the graduates that no one would employ them let alone allow them to come waste time with interviewing them. It's crazy how our education system HAS BEEN MESSED UP!

Bingo, saw a few cvs and I had to tell the graduates that no one would employ them let alone allow them to come waste time with interviewing them. It's crazy how our education system HAS BEEN MESSED UP!
Owura Kwaku Ntiamoah 10 years ago

Thanks, Mr. Haffar. You are 100% right. We have an outdated educational system that was made horribly worse with the introduction of this JSS and SSS system. There are graduates who will fail in any common spelling examinat ...
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Thanks, Mr. Haffar. You are 100% right. We have an outdated educational system that was made horribly worse with the introduction of this JSS and SSS system. There are graduates who will fail in any common spelling examination. Forget about their ability to think outside the box. What the system is churning out are bunch of "graduates" who possess no skills.On one of my visits to Ghana, I had a conversation with a family member who was a student at University of Ghana. When I mentioned to him that the engineer who operates the commuter train I take to work (train driver) has a degree in mechanical engineering, he exclaimed, "Whaaat". In his mind, a graduate must be sitting in an office, not a "train driver". But this "train driver" is an engineer who knows how the systems on the train work. When the electrical systems on the train shut down in the middle of nowhere one cold morning, this guy was able to troubleshoot the systems, figure out what caused the failure, fix it and get the train running again---all in a matter of about thirty minutes. That is what is called the product of a functional educational system.
Our system has become even more rotten by the corrupt practices in the admissions process. We have students who cannot even spell their own names being admitted to our universities because someone paid to have them admitted. We need to do away with this SS nonsense and restructure the whole system from kindergarten up (Well, that is if we even have pre-schooling). In a developing country like ours, we should start with free education or we are bound to create a permanently under-developed nation.
Owura Kwaku Ntiamoah 10 years ago

On a lighter note, this "Tweaa" incident tells you a lot about our educational system -- a public official who is a product of that system. Critical thinking would have taught him to respond to a heckler in a more civilized ...
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On a lighter note, this "Tweaa" incident tells you a lot about our educational system -- a public official who is a product of that system. Critical thinking would have taught him to respond to a heckler in a more civilized manner. Tweaaaaa!
sanaahene 10 years ago

You don't learn when you have 200-300 students, standing room only, in a classroom. That is not learning. Instructors should respect students and care more about condition of service as opposed to caring about pay check alway ...
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You don't learn when you have 200-300 students, standing room only, in a classroom. That is not learning. Instructors should respect students and care more about condition of service as opposed to caring about pay check always. You can not assign a writing assignment to 200 students...who is going to read them all? Universities should use some of the large sums of money from annual admission fees to furnish classrooms to create a better learning environment.
NANA KWATIA III 10 years ago

MR. HAFFER HAS SPOKEN AND HIS WORDS SHOULD GENERATE A ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION THAT WILL RESULT IN DRASTIC CHANGES TO OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM.

HOWEVER, I DIFFER WITH MR. HAFFER IN THE SENSE THAT IT IS THE WHOLE EDUCATION SYSTEM ...
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MR. HAFFER HAS SPOKEN AND HIS WORDS SHOULD GENERATE A ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION THAT WILL RESULT IN DRASTIC CHANGES TO OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM.

HOWEVER, I DIFFER WITH MR. HAFFER IN THE SENSE THAT IT IS THE WHOLE EDUCATION SYSTEM THAT IS BOGUS AND IRRELEVANT, RIGHT FROM PRE-SCHOOL AND NOT JUST THE UNIVERSITIES. BY THE TIME OUR STUDENTS GET TO THE UNIVERSITY FROM LEARNING "LONDON BRIDGE IS FALLING DOWN, FALLING DOWN" "OLD MACDONALD HAS A FARM", " 'A' FOR APPLE". WHAT THEY HAVE STUDIED IS IRRELEVANT AND DOES NOT REFLECT THEIR ENVIRONMENT AND THEIR CULTURE. HOW MANY GHANAIANS KNOW ANY HISTORY OF GHANA BEYOND ASHANTI WARS AND DYNASTY.(THE PEOPLE THE RESISTED THE BRITISH). WHO IN GHANA HAS EVER TAUGHT THE HISTORY OF THE AKIMS, GUANS, DAGOMBAS, GAS AND ADAMGBES, EWES AND OTHER ETHNIC GROUPS IN GHANA. THE CURRENT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CURRICULUM DOES NOT EVEN TEACH MODERN GHANAIAN POST WORLD WAR II HISTORY. IT IS REALLY SAD.IT IS EQUALLY SAD TO NOTE THAT A LOT OF GHANAIANS (MAY BE MOST GHANAIANS) CANNOT SPEAK ONE LOCAL LANGUAGE FLUENTLY. DO NOT DARE ASK THEM TO WRITE THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGE THEY SPEAK BECAUSE THEY CANNOT DO IT. SAD!! SAD!! SAD!!
RIGHT FROM HIGH SCHOOL, STUDENTS SHOULD BE DOING PROJECT THAT HELP DEVELOP CRITICAL THINKING AND THESE PROJECTS SHOULD BE ASSIGNED IN GROUP SETTING. THIS MODE OF TEACHING/LEARNING SHOULD CARRY INTO OUR UNIVERSITIES TO PRODUCE MEN AND WOMEN THAT CAN ACT RESPONSIBLY AND TACTFULLY TO "TWEAA"
OUTBURSTS.
NEED WE BE SURPRISED THAT A LOT VARSITY GRADUATES PRODUCED IN GHANA ARE FUNCTIONALLY ILLITERATE ???
Concerned Citizen 10 years ago

Mr Hafar, thanks for this observation! I know the response to this would be that of anger and insults. It takes a patriot to voice out this truth, knowing full well that the insults would be unbearable! We'll however come to ...
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Mr Hafar, thanks for this observation! I know the response to this would be that of anger and insults. It takes a patriot to voice out this truth, knowing full well that the insults would be unbearable! We'll however come to accept this truism sometime as we wallow from inexplicable decline in every aspect of what is needed for our well-being. Those whose responsibility it is to bring up a dynamic youth into positions of responsibility should take a hard look at Mr Haffer's observations and wake up! Yes, you came through this haplessness which has not done us any good in as far as national development and progress is concerned. We're a beggar-nation, with governments out-doing each other on who secured the most loans - to waste on inept projects, which most of the time comes to nothing. Meanwhile our nation sits on abundant natural wealth! A nation of loud mouths! Meanwhile we politicize every aspect of national life. Even our religious leaders are falling in line, in this very unhealthy ways. Our educational authorities have the duty to wake up!
Akua Sala 10 years ago

Graduates

Graduates

Ghana churning out ‘lazy infantalised helpless’ graduates – Haffar

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