The Dean of International Programmes at Accra Technical University, Dr. Ernest Winful, has called on the Ministry of Education to rethink agricultural science curricula in the country.
Speaking during a panel discussion organised by Social Enterprise Ghana to discuss the ‘state of agribusiness social enterprises in Ghana’, Dr. Winful expressed dissatisfaction with how all subjects under agricultural science are boxed up as one, instead of each area being treated as a stand-alone course.
He went further to explain that due to the nature of the current syllabus and mode of delivery, a student comes out of school and is not able to make decisions on which agricultural activity he or she should engage in, adding: “I think our curriculum should be specific, so that one can easily choose a career in farming”.
The Dean said because of the stated reason, most farmers are peasants, which makes agriculture unattractive to young people.
Dr. Winful explained that agriculture, as a subject, is broad and that it is imperative for students to specialise in a given area. Doing this, he noted, will not only ensure the availability of varied experts but will ensure students are market-ready after graduating from school.
“The teaching model is not entrepreneurial in nature, and it is one of the factors that is also increasing the number of unemployed graduates in the country,” he lamented.
He suggested that it should not only be in the university that one is taught specific courses as major subjects, but right from the Junior High School level. This way, he said, the interest of the child is identified and nurtured from an early stage.
Claudia Kisha, a technologist at System Analysis Programme Development (SAP) – Germany, also urged Ghanaian students studying agriculture as well as farmers to imbue technological methods into their farming activities.
She explained that using technology in farming makes it easier and boosts production. She further encouraged the use of other advanced methods, such as drones for pest control as well as fertiliser application.
“Use drones, soil and water digital sensors, weather tracking devices, wireless remote and control systems to make work easier and sustainable,” she advocated.
