Tema-Ghana, Aug. 14, CDA Consult – Mr. Alexander Yanyi-Ampah, Lead Vice President of Tebah Educational Initiative (TEI), a non-governmental organisation, believes that engaging industry professionals as professors can accelerate the practicality of Ghana’s educational system.
He believes that focusing on lecturers who have developed enterprises and firms out of their courses will have a bigger impact on students.
He expressed concern that the government had been focusing on teachers and lecturers with large academic titles but had little or no practical expertise to share with pupils.
TEI is a global project that provides mentorship, career assistance, leadership training, and scholarship possibilities to children worldwide.
The programme started in Maryland in the United States and was extended to Haiti, South Africa, and currently Ghana, where some schools in the Northen Region, Bono, and Westen Region were benefiting from the outfit.
Mr Yanyi-Ampah was supported by the Founder and President of TEI, Mrs Viola Yanyi-Ampah during an encounter with the Ghana News Agency Tema Regional Team, which was supervised by the Communication for Development and Advocacy Consult (CDA Consult) in Tema.
He explained that lecturers who had founded and maintained their own enterprises based on the courses they teach, regardless of their educational background, had experienced both ups and downs in their firms, allowing them to teach students from a practical standpoint.
He went on to say that some of these experiences were crucial in improving the practicality of the Ghanaian educational sector in preparing the youth for the labour market.
“It’s about the experience and the output, not just the titles.” Someone who has built a business will have a stronger impact on you, he says.
He said that this approach would produce better results because most of those teachers would be better prepared to meet both local and international standards as a consequence of their increased understanding.
According to the TEI’s Lead Vice President, most of these professors would advocate field work because of their experience in helping students gain clarity about the subject or issue, and that clarity lasts with them for a longer period of time.
He emphasised that every educational theory should be supported by how it may be applied in laboratories or in real life, claiming that practicality leads to expertise in the corresponding discipline.
He stated that practicality leads to competence, and that when pupils perform the same activity again and rigorously, they learn how to apply principles and repair their faults in order to improve their skills.
Mrs. Yanyi-Ampah also pushed educational institutions to develop human resources holistically for the global market.
“The essence of modern education is to uncover skills and completely equip graduates to provide solutions to society’s numerous problems.” Any educational system that generates graduates that contribute to societal problems must reconsider its mandates.
“Ghana and Africa require pragmatic youth who are prepared to weather the storm, explore global opportunities and resources, and apply them to domestic challenges,” Mrs. Yanyi-Ampah added.
She stated that the foundation would continue to support and motivate students around the world this year through educational initiatives, mentorship, and scholarship possibilities.
The foundation seeks partnership with important stakeholders to give the resources and means for a quality education, which is a necessary component for students all around the world, beginning in Ghana, to enter the global marketplace.
“Our mission is to provide hope, inspire, motivate, and encourage the students with whom we work to pursue academic excellence.” We provide students with the opportunity to thrive throughout their education in order to progress their country and the globe as a whole.
“Through the Tebah Private Donor Award Scholarship scheme, we offer scholarship opportunities, provide self-awareness mentorship programmes, and encourage students in self-development activities by engaging them in debates, sports, and other extracurricular activities,” she explained.
“We have high expectations and hopes for our students,” Mrs Yanyi-AMpah said of the effort. We are creating a culture in which they can use their abilities and talents in their studies while being guided to become effective future leaders.”
