UEW Public Lecture Series 2026: We're preparing children for a past that no longer exists - Dr Ibn Chambas warns

Dr. Mohammed Ibn Chambas warned on Friday, April 10, at the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) Public Lecture Series 2026 that "current approaches risk producing graduates unprepared for the demands of a rapidly changing global economy."

Dr. Chambas said Africa's education agenda must move beyond expansion and access towards transformation, relevance, and innovation. He situated his remarks within the African Union's Agenda 2063, which seeks to achieve socioeconomic transformation across the continent. He said education is a strategic pillar in Africa's ambition to end conflict and build lasting peace by 2030. He referenced Aspiration Four of Agenda 2063, which envisions "a peaceful, secure and prosperous Africa underpinned by dialogue, mediation, preventive diplomacy and coordinated peace and security mechanisms." He said education plays a decisive role in addressing the root causes of conflict. He described education as the "thread that weaves all others together" looking ahead to 2030, the target year for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Turning to Ghana, Dr. Chambas traced the country's education evolution from independence in 1957 through successive reforms, including the Dzobo Reforms of 1974, the 1987-90 education reforms, and the Anamuah-Mensah Reforms of 2007. He acknowledged significant progress: primary enrolment now exceeds 90 per cent, junior high school participation stands at about 98 per cent, senior high school enrolment has risen sharply under Free Senior High School, and adult literacy is estimated at around 80 per cent. He warned that expansion alone is not enough and criticised an education system that prioritises rote learning over critical thinking and certification over competence.