The National Union of Ghana Students in China celebrated May Day (Labor Day) with the rest of the world in a memorable discourse with Hon. Dr Yaw Adutwum, Deputy Minister of Education in charge of General Education, and Member of Parliament for Bosomtwe Constituency in a virtual conference on the status and future of Ghana’s education system.

The program is the fourth of such educative virtual seminars organized by the Ghana Mission in collaboration with the National Executive Committee of the Union.
Recalling some of the earlier educational caucuses;

March 6, 2020 -The Role of Technocrats in National Development – Mr Abu Osuman (Minister-Counsellor in Charge of Political Affairs at the Beijing Mission)

March 12, 2020 – NUGS-Women Forum, Day 1- Madam Elizabeth Ohene ( Senior Advisor to the President and Former Minister of State for Tertiary Education, Deputy Editor at the BBC)

March 13, 2020 – NUGS-Women Forum Day 2- Dr Lydia Mosi (Senior Lecturer at the Department of Biochemistry, UG).

In Attendance were H.E. Edward Boateng, Ghana’s Ambassador to China (Chairman for the evening), H. E. Charles Dwamena, Ghana’s Deputy Ambassador to China, Mr Abu Osuman, Minister Counselor in Charge of Political Affairs at the Ghana Embassy and Mr Alfred N. A. Hammond, First Secretary in charge of Consular Affairs.
Addressing the over 200 students present online, the Hon. Deputy Minister of Education, Dr Adutwum thanked the Head of Ghana Mission-Beijing and the leadership of NUGS-China for putting together this meeting and the opportunity to interact with Ghanaian students in China. He proceeded to advise, encourage and implore students to think and dream about the potential differences we can make in Ghana’s education system and the entire continent.
Using his personal life and his humble beginnings in Ghana as evidence for ‘bigger-dream’ fulfillments, he advised the audience not to belittle their involvement in student politics, but to
rather expand beyond politics by using these opportunities as an avenue to expand their dreams and build their character
The Deputy Education Minister recounted some progress that his vision and involvement in tandem with the plans of the President, H.E. Nana Addo Danquah Akufo Addo and his Minister has brought into Ghana’s Education system, such as the free SHS and the double-track system.
The two- and half-hour program entailed a Q&A section where the audience aired their views and concerns with regards to Ghana’s education system. Notably, among them were concerns for active patriotism by citizens, a stable and integrated synergy between Ghana’s technical and vocational education and production of capital goods to ensure a Ghana beyond aid.
Speaking on some of the apparent challenges facing the education system in Ghana, such as the lack of proper synergy between academic research, creativity, and output, the former CEO of NDEG (LA, California) cited his STEM-based (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) educational system of Bosomtwe Academy as the best direction to go as a nation. According to him, STEM education will create critical thinkers, science literacy, and enable the next generation of innovators.
Ending the session, the Chairman for the evening, H.E. Edward Boateng, thanked the Hon. Guest speaker and the entire audience for their patience and salient ideas shared towards building a better Ghana. Reiterating an earlier statement of the Honorable Minister, the Ambassador emphasized the need for the audience to actively promote a stable governance to ensure the continuity of the educative and developmental projects of the current administration.
He further encouraged the students to see the positive side of this lockdown by employing it for deeper thinking and possible innovative initiatives for the development of Mother Ghana. Realizing the enthusiasm of the participants, H.E. Edward Boateng, assured that, this discussion about Ghana’s educational system is the first of a series to come.
A virtual yet rancorous ovation from the audience was nowhere near in expressing the gratitude of the entire students to the Ghana Mission and the Deputy Minister of Education for the lifetime opportunity.