Emeritus Professor Ernest Aryeetey, former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, has identified youth unemployment as the most critical economic issue confronting the country, attributing it to deep-rooted problems within Ghana’s education system.
Speaking on The Point of View on Channel One TV on Monday, October 20, Prof. Aryeetey stressed that youth joblessness poses the greatest threat to Ghana’s future.
“What is the biggest economic problem that we see in Ghana today? For me, it is youth unemployment. That, for me, is the biggest problem that we face,” he stated.
He argued that addressing the crisis requires a complete overhaul of the existing education structure, which he believes is out of touch with the demands of the modern job market.
“How do we tackle youth unemployment when the schools are not properly structured to prepare them for the market? You’ve got to go back to basics and deal with it,” he explained.
According to Prof. Aryeetey, several studies across Ghana, Africa, and beyond have shown that early-stage education reform is key to producing more versatile and employable students.
“There is enough research being done, not only in Ghana but all over Africa and other places, that shows you a type of education that you can bring at the basic, Junior High School level, at the Senior High level, that leads to more productive students who are versatile,” he said.
He also criticized the country’s overreliance on university education, arguing that it does not cater to the broader needs of the economy.
“They don’t need a university degree to be able to do things. But we’ve built a system that takes us all into the university. It is wrong, and it will always be wrong,” Prof. Aryeetey emphasized.
