Modern day education must go beyond academic qualifications to equip young people with practical skills, good character and a sense of responsibility to society.
It must also prepare young people not only for employment, but to shape them to become responsible citizens capable of contributing to their families and communities.
An education advocate and a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Elder Clark Gilbert, made the call during a recent visit to some West African countries, including Ghana.
“I see young people who have ambition to become better people, become more in their faith.
They want education and opportunity and leadership, not for themselves, but so they can serve other people and make a difference in the lives of other people,” he said.
His comments come amid efforts to address skills mismatch and improve the transition from formal education to employment in Ghana.
A stakeholder consultation on the draft Ghana Human Capital Development Strategy 2025–2057 identified skills mismatch and weaknesses in the transition from school to work as challenges requiring long-term reforms.
The strategy identifies education and skills, productive employment, innovation and digital transformation as priority areas for developing the country’s human capital.
Elder Gilbert said education should be seen as an investment in individuals, communities and the nation rather than merely a means of acquiring certificates.
He said academic learning should be complemented by values such as honesty, ethical conduct, leadership and a willingness to help others.
Church’s model
Elder Gilbert further said the education model promoted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints combined academic learning with professional and personal development.
He cited the Succeed in School programme, which provides junior and senior high school-age students with instruction in basic writing, mathematics and communication, alongside preparation for national examinations.
Elder Gilbert said employability was only one aspect of education, which should also prepare young people to lead, act ethically and help others succeed.
He said the church encouraged its members to pursue professional development while cultivating values that would guide their conduct in their personal and working lives.
“We teach it in our churches.
We always say if God wants you to get educated, he wants you to grow not just in your job skills, but he wants you to be honest.
He wants you to be ethical.
He wants you to build other people around you,” he said.
He said those values were increasingly important as technology and changing employer expectations reshaped the labour market.
