Sam Jonah calls for Africa’s first degree-awarding vocational faculty at UCC

Sir Sam Jonah has urged the University of Cape Coast (UCC) to become Africa's pioneer in offering degree-awarding vocational education. He emphasized during the installation of the university's new Vice-Chancellor, Professor John Gatsi Aheto, on August 1, that higher education must evolve to produce graduates with practical skills due to the rising influence of artificial intelligence.

Jonah proposed that UCC should launch a full faculty for degree programs in Applied Skills at both Bachelor and Master levels, blending the rigor of academics with the hands-on environment of workshops. He argued that Ghana should no longer dismiss vocational education as inferior and should incorporate it into the highest levels of academic training.

Jonah suggested degree programs in fields such as renewable energy, aquaculture, construction, agri-food, healthcare, and the creative industries, with students expected to demonstrate real-world competence, like installing a solar system or managing a fish farm. He criticized the emphasis on rote memorization in Africa's education system, stating that graduates often know much but build little.

According to Jonah, the world increasingly values what graduates can do rather than what they know. He dismissed the debate over "useless degrees" and instead urged for a realignment of existing programs to ensure they are useful. Drawing parallels with Germany's apprenticeship system and reforms in China and the United States, Jonah called on UCC and the University Council to lead Africa's higher education into a new era, warning that other nations are rapidly transforming their educational systems.

Jonah challenged the university community to initiate this conversation and ensured his proposal would be discussed across senior common rooms nationwide.