Let’s build capacity of youth to be effective agents of change — PURC Officer

There must be a conscious effort to build the capacity of the youth, especially the leaders to enable them to become effective agents of change in the education sector.

That would also help prepare them to take over as leaders of tomorrow and impact society as is expected of them.

The Research Officer of the Public Utilities Workers’ Union of TUC-Ghana, Dr Edmund Adinkra-Darko, who made the call, explained that for instance, training programmes, workshops, conferences and mentorship opportunities were key to equipping the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU) youth with the requisite skills, knowledge and capabilities to seek the desired change in the education sector.

“The youth’s knowledge and understanding of the issues happening in the sector are critical for effective partnership,” he emphasised.

Dr Adinkra-Darko said this in a keynote address on, “Fostering Partnership for Equitable Education Delivery in Ghana: The Role of TEWU Youth’ at the Second Quadrennial National Delegates Conference of TEWU Youth Committee at the Pentecost Convention Centre in the Central Region.

He said a critical assessment of education in the country revealed challenges, including poor and inadequate infrastructure, shortage of qualified teachers, inadequate textbooks and other teaching and learning resources.

Those, he said, had created disparities in education delivery and access to quality education, especially among marginalised populations such as children with determination, girls, children from low-income households and communities, as well as rural residents.

“These significantly hinder our nation’s progress and prosperity. We can effectively address these and other challenges in the education sector to promote equitable delivery and access to quality education in Ghana if we collaborate or act collectively with key stakeholders such as government,” he said.

The TEWU youth, Dr Adinkra-Darko said, should map all potential entities for partnership to improve education delivery in the country, adding that the identification of potential partners remained a prerequisite for networking and collaboration on educational matters.

Network
The Chairman of the TEWU Youth Committee, Isaac H.B. Armah Jnr. said the youth were supposed to network and forge connections and alliances across different sectors and that by building partnerships with government agencies, CSOs/NGOs, the private sector and academic institutions, the youth could access resources, build expertise, exchange ideas and develop initiatives to address issues affecting equitable education delivery and access to quality education.

Education, Mr Armah said, was an integral part of the sustainable development agenda and as such needed to be fully integrated in their setup.

Hope of the future
The General Secretary of TEWU of TUC Ghana, Mark Dankyira Korankye, said once the youth were present, the work of the union would be well executed and added that he had hope for the future because the youth were around.

He stressed the need for equal access to quality education by all Ghanaians irrespective of where they were living.

He also expressed concern about gender barriers to education, saying that it was not a good sign for a nation that wanted to develop.

The Chairman of TEWU, Ambrose Yao Kwadzodza, said the leadership of the union was very interested in developing the youth.

“We are very anxious about that. We cannot leave the youth behind,” he emphasised.