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Human Capital Development in Ghana, via Western Higher Education - #MightyAfrican Thoughts

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I always say: I am from Elmina , I grew up in Kumasi , I live in Accra , I care a lot about Ghana and I love Africa . But for a decade, I was living in the USA. Even then, I always say, I had one foot in Ghana all throughout. What took me there? What brought me back? What grazing in colder pastures? Where is your American accent? Let’s dig in, thanks to a conversation I had with Frank Bentum , on Ghanaian students choosing Western higher education and how this impacts human capital development in Ghana, with findings informing policy recommendations.  Motivations for Studying Abroad (Push Factors) My decision to study at MIT was primarily influenced by a role model , Arthur Musah. Arthur finished Presec in 1998, just before I entered the green grounds of Presec-Legon . He had emerged as the second best (WA)SSCE candidate in this year and he was being duly celebrated. I learnt that he had also played a major part of the Presec Drama Club. I looked up to him. In 2000, when I was...

Strengthening a foundation of youth taking charge of development via Barcamp Ho #bcho

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Over the past weekend, I attended the 2nd Barcamp Ho event. This was also the 6th Barcamp to held in Ghana this year. Yeap, the Barcamp Ghana project has been highly visible and the GhanaThink team has been tres busy. The event happened Friday, 21st September at the Ho Polytechnic SRC Junior Common Room. A major Asogli Yam Festival was happening in Ho on the Saturday, 22nd and luckily the 21st was a holiday in Ghana - Founder's Day. This was the first ever Barcamp on a holiday or Friday and it turned out to be a great decision. "We are not allowed to talk about the problems and not offer solutions, especially solutions we can implement ourselves". Before the Barcamp started, I walked upon a heated discussion on "Free senior high school education" amongst some guys who had just finished a game of football. I had just one question for them "How are you going to solve the various problems you are talking about?" As is becoming the nature of Barcamp...