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Government urged to adopt lifelong
education policy
Accra, May 22, Ghanadot/GNA - Professor Emmanuel James Flolu,
Dean of the School of Creative Arts, University of
Education, Winneba, has urged government to adopt a national
policy on lifelong education in order to integrate existing
formal and non-formal educational systems into a unified
system.
"The lifelong learning education programme seeks to adopt a
holistic approach whereby the various components of the
educational system such as school education, post school
education, formal, non formal and adult education can be
brought under one umbrella for more effective and efficient
administration and for the production of all round
personalities," he said.
Prof Flolu was delivering the 9th Ephraim Amu Lecture series
organized by the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences (GAAS)
as part of activities marking its 50th anniversary
celebrations.
The lecture was on the topic: "In search of a lifelong
learning education programme for Ghana: Lessons from the
life work of a farmer, artist and teacher".
Prof Flolu urged government to constitute a team of experts
and stakeholders to begin the process of enacting a lifelong
education policy.
In formulating such a policy, there is the need to examine
how the various tracks such as Technical and Vocational
Education Training, grammar and apprenticeships can be
merged, he suggested.
"The policy should also include the vision, principles,
areas of learning, assessment, certification and financing."
Prof Flolu said only a lifelong educational system could
meet the challenges of the changing world order.
"Ghana's education cannot continue to be time and space
bound otherwise when situations change, education becomes
irrelevant and we are witnessing this already. An education
system whereby age is no more a barrier to people's academic
and professional development is now needed."
He said through a lifelong learning system, learners would
be shown how to teach themselves using media outside the
school as well as the creation of opportunities for people
to change programmes where necessary.
He added that teachers would also be trained to desist from
imparting facts to learners and rather guide them in their
studies.
He said the poor quality of education, failure to link all
the dimensions and tracks of education into a single band,
lack of flexibility as well as limited opportunities for
adult and continuous learning are the major deficiencies in
the country's educational reform initiatives.
Prof Flolu said Ghana’s industrialization efforts had failed
due to lack of adequate attention to the agricultural
sector.
He called for a non-partisan debate on national issues and
urged intellectuals, educationists, researchers,
politicians, civil society, traditional and religious
leaders to take decisions that would be acceptable to the
majority of people.
Prof Flolu urged Ghanaians to emulate the imaginative,
creative and adventurous lifestyle of Dr. Ephraim Amu, who
engaged in farming, teaching, as well as music composition,
and epitomized the past, present, and future of African arts
and culture.
GNA
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