Government has been urged to commit more resources and investment in education, geared towards the development of its middle manpower, to provide the needed impetus to propel the country into a developed society.
Mr Alhassan Moomen, Bole District Director of Education, made the call at the district celebration of the 54th Independence anniversary celebration in Bole, on Sunday.
He observed that many years after the country’s independence and embarking on several educational reforms, no significant change had been made to shift the educational system from one of service delivery to production.
Mr Moomen said the time had come for a paradigm shift in education delivery, by placing more emphasis on technical and vocational education, “the kind of education that will make us realize that we need this and that kind of instrument and that devise and go ahead to fashion it out for our own use”.
The District Director of Education noted that “education for production” was costly and needed the courage and determination of a committed government to provide it, saying: “We need more technical and vocational subjects; otherwise we will be producing thousands of university graduates who can do little for themselves “.
“We will produce the manpower that will get no jobs and we will continue to import all the things we need, ranging from our basic foodstuff to the clothes we wear. The answer lies in strengthening the middle level manpower and not in producing “book” graduates”, he said.
Alhaji Sampson Seidu Abudu, Bole District Chief Executive, who spoke on the theme for the celebration: “Discipline and hard work-essential pre-requisite for a better Ghana”, said what the country needed most was discipline and hard work, to unleash its latent energy and exploit its vast human and material resources to achieve the better Ghana agenda.
He urged all Ghanaians to remain focused in their chosen professions and allow discipline and hard work to guide them in their decisions and in the performance of their duties.
He also urged Ghanaians to develop strong moral and upright characters, saying, “Character is one of the greatest motive powers in the world. In its noblest embodiment, character exemplifies human nature in its highest form, for it exhibits men and women at their best”.
Several schools and youth organizations took part in the well organized and disciplined parade, in which the DCE took the salute. The occasion was also used to award teachers who excelled in the 2010 Teachers Awards sponsored by the District assembly.
The award winners took home prizes ranging from 14inch colour TV sets and sound systems, roofing sheets and motorcycles.