Decoloniality and Higher Education Transformation in Ghana

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume IV, Issue III, March 2020 | ISSN 2454–6186

Decoloniality and Higher Education Transformation in Ghana

Benedict Osei-Owusu
Senior Lecturer, Department of Educational Studies, Faculty of Education and General Studies, College of Agriculture Education, Mampong-Ashanti, University of Education Winneba, GHANA-WEST AFRICA.

Abstract: – Africa as a continent has witnessed a lot of dramatic political studies in the 1950’s. Between 1956 and 1962, 26 countries including Ghana had gained their sovereignty and most of the remaining states were at varying stages of self-government. Ghana attained her independence during the tail end of the cold war era in 1957. Since then democracy has become a frequently used word in the national discourse. Higher education in Ghana over the past two decades has witnessed an unprecedented growth in the various areas as it tries to achieve democratization– increased access and participation, expansion of academic user facilities, private sector involvement, innovative financial sustainability strategies and a tremendous transformative policy environment. The benefit accrued from higher education to the national development of a country cannot be ignored. The 1992 constitution makes a unique provision for higher education: higher education shall be made equally accessible to all, on the basis of capacity by every appropriate means, and in particular, by progressive introduction of free education. Most African states in which Ghana is among witnessed a lot of democratic changes in the early 90’s. This chapter seeks to provide a critical and descriptive positive analysis of decoloniality and transformation of higher education in Ghana in an epistemological contexts relation to the history of higher education during the colonial era, post-colonial era in Ghana, emergence of private universities, governance, management and administration of the public universities, the role of government agencies like National Accreditation Board and National Council for Tertiary Education in the democratization of higher education institutions, higher education reforms in Ghana, financing of higher education, pedagogies and the various government transformative policies. Attempts will be made to stress the implications of the decoloniality and transformation of higher education to Ghana’s political environments.

Keywords: Decoloniality, transformation, access, participation, higher education, National Accreditation Board and National Council for Tertiary Education

I. INTRODUCTION

The role of education towards benefiting both individual and national growth has been universally acknowledged. Children receiving quality education are likely to be better citizens having active participation in the socio-economic growth in the region (UNICEF, 2000).Education brings a drastic change in the human capital of a nation as it helps train the minds for new skills which make them functionally productive in the society.

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