Education is about skill development, not just reading and writing — Austine Gamey

Labour consultant, Austine Gamey has stated that the country's education system must shift focus from simply teaching literacy to equipping learners with practical skills that meet the demands of the job market.

Mr Gamey observed that the country’s current approach to education is likely to produce graduates who are not adequately prepared for the realities of industry.

Speaking at a stakeholder policy forum on education and employment on Tuesday, August 12, ahead of the 2025 Global Conference on Human Resources in Africa, he said the problem is partly due to weak data collection systems, which limit the ability of policymakers and employers to design effective training programmes.

Mr Gamey noted that when drafting parts of the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651), the original plan included a dedicated unit within the Ghana Statistical Service to collect comprehensive labour market data every quarter.

“Reading and writing is fine, anybody can do that, but it’s about developing the skill of the people to be able to move into the job market,” he said, adding, “Unfortunately, that’s not what we are doing.”

The labour consultant further called for collaboration between government, academia and industry to bridge the skills gap, adding that proper data-driven planning could ensure that training programmes match market demands.

Despite the current situation, Mr Gamey noted that with the right reforms and commitment to data-led decision-making, Ghana could strengthen its education-to-employment pipeline and remain competitive globally.