Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission, Elikem Kotoko, has called for urgent reforms in Ghana’s education system to better accommodate creativity and diverse talents.
Speaking on Breakfast Daily on Channel One TV on Monday, September 29, 2025, Mr. Kotoko argued that the current system, inherited from colonial masters, is overly standardised and fails to unlock the full potential of Ghanaian students.
“We inherited an education system that is standardised from our colonial masters, and it is very bad. We need to now customise our system to suit us. So that the person who wants to do engineering will not be bothered by other things that may not benefit them,” he said.
Sharing a personal example, he noted how one of his children, who has a passion for music, was allowed by his school to keep his hair and use a tablet during breaks to explore his creativity.
“One of my kids loves music, and I see potential in that. So, I have gone to plead with the school to allow him to keep his hair or keep his tablet, so that during break time, he can go and try to be creative, and they have agreed,” he explained.
Mr. Kotoko further suggested that education must be tailored to address local challenges, citing the Western Region as an example.
“We must be able to move from that standardised education to a more customised one. In that case, even in a place like Western Region, where galamsey is prevalent, you can have forest clubs or subjects that are related to solving their problem,” he added.
According to him, a shift towards a more flexible and problem-solving curriculum will not only promote innovation but also equip students with the skills to address pressing national challenges.
