Retired University of Ghana lecturer Prof. Nii Dowuona has strongly disagreed with former Minister of Education Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum over remarks in a circulating video in which the former minister questioned the relevance of Development Studies, suggesting that the programme was “not taking the student anywhere.”
Prof. Dowuona described the comments as unfortunate, particularly coming from someone who served as Ghana’s Education Minister for four years and played a central role in shaping the country’s education policies.
Speaking on Gold Morning Conversation with Sena Numbo on Monday, July 6, 2026, he argued that a graduate’s inability to secure employment in the field they studied does not make the programme itself irrelevant.
“There is no course that is irrelevant. No programme offered at the university is irrelevant,” he stated. “Rather, our policy is what is failing.”
He maintained that the challenge lies not with university programmes but with the disconnect between education policy and the country’s employment and development needs.
Prof. Dowuona called for a review of some academic programmes to better reflect current realities, suggesting that certain courses could be strengthened or integrated to equip graduates with broader and more adaptable skills for the job market.
Supporting his position, Associate Professor of Political Science at the University for Development Studies (UDS), Prof. Jasper Abembia Ayelazuno, said every university programme serves a distinct intellectual purpose and contributes to national development.
He argued that Development Studies, like other academic disciplines, provides specialised knowledge and critical thinking skills that should not be dismissed simply because graduates face employment challenges.
The debate follows renewed public discussion about the relevance of university programmes and graduate employability in Ghana. Both academics maintained that the solution lies in aligning education policy, curriculum design and industry needs, rather than branding entire academic programmes as “useless” or irrelevant.
Story by: Ruth Quaye
