Former Education Minister Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum has criticised Ghana’s reliance on memorisation and examination results, warning that the ‘chew and pour, pass and forget’ approach is undermining the country’s education system.
According to Dr. Adutwum, the system places too much emphasis on students retaining information for examinations rather than developing the ability to understand, analyse and apply knowledge.
He called for greater attention to the development of what he described as the four Cs of education: Creativity, Critical Thinking, Collaboration and Communication.
He said equipping students with these skills would enable them to solve problems, adapt to changing circumstances and contribute more effectively to national development.
“We must deliberately eradicate poverty through education by equipping our students with the skills to solve global challenges, rather than simply teaching them to ‘chew, pour, pass and forget. If Vietnam, Singapore and others did it, we can also do it,” he said.
Dr. Adutwum urged policymakers and education stakeholders to move beyond an examination-focused system and prioritise practical learning, independent thinking and the application of knowledge to real-life challenges.
