A recent public debate on the relevance of university programmes has once again ignited an important national conversation.

The comments attributed to former Minister for Education, Yaw Osei Adutwum, suggesting that certain university courses are not sufficiently aligned with today’s labour market, have attracted equally strong responses from the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) and Africa Education Watch, both of which argue that no university course is inherently useless.

This debate deserves neither political applause nor emotional condemnation.

Instead, it demands sober reflection on the purpose of higher education in the twenty-first century and the responsibility of every stakeholder in preparing graduates for meaningful lives.

At the International Human Rights Protection Service (IHRPS) Ghana, we believe that access to quality education is not merely an economic issue; it is a fundamental human right.

However, every right carries corresponding responsibilities. Educational institutions must produce graduates capable of contributing to society, while governments must create an enabling environment where knowledge translates into opportunity.

The former Minister’s concerns cannot simply be dismissed. Across Ghana, thousands of graduates struggle to secure employment years after completing their studies. Parents invest enormous financial resources into university education with the expectation that their children will eventually become economically independent.

Employers repeatedly complain about skills gaps, despite the growing number of graduates entering the labour market each year.

These realities cannot be ignored.

Yet, it would also be intellectually dishonest to conclude that the challenge lies solely in the academic disciplines themselves.

History teaches us that many of the world’s greatest innovations have emerged from fields once considered impractical.

Philosophy shaped democratic governance. History preserves national identity.

Literature develops communication skills essential for diplomacy, journalism and leadership.

Sociology informs public policy. Psychology strengthens healthcare systems.

Geography supports environmental planning and disaster management.

Linguistics powers artificial intelligence and machine translation. Information studies underpin modern knowledge management.

No society has achieved sustainable development by investing exclusively in engineering, medicine or business.

The real question, therefore, is not whether a university course is marketable.

The real question is whether graduates are being equipped with skills that allow knowledge to solve contemporary problems.

A degree should no longer represent only mastery of subject matter.

It must also demonstrate competence in communication, digital literacy, entrepreneurship, innovation, leadership, critical thinking, ethics, teamwork and adaptability.

This is where Ghana’s higher education system must evolve.

Many university curricula remain heavily theoretical.

Students often graduate having written numerous examinations but having solved very few real-life problems.

Industrial attachments are sometimes treated as academic formalities rather than genuine learning experiences. Entrepreneurship is frequently offered as an elective instead of being embedded across all disciplines.

Consequently, graduates possess certificates but lack practical confidence.

Universities cannot bear this responsibility alone.

Industry has often remained disconnected from academia.

Many companies prefer experienced employees but invest little in developing young professionals.

Public institutions continue to recruit based on rigid qualification structures rather than competencies.

Government policy sometimes expands university access without corresponding investments in industries capable of absorbing graduates.

Employability is therefore a shared national responsibility.

Perhaps it is time Ghana moves from curriculum-based education to competency-based education.

Imagine a History graduate who also understands data analysis.

Imagine a Philosophy graduate trained in artificial intelligence ethics.

Imagine a Literature graduate skilled in digital marketing.

Imagine a Geography graduate certified in drone mapping.

Imagine an Information Studies graduate specialising in cybersecurity governance.

Such graduates would possess both intellectual depth and practical relevance.

This transformation does not require abolishing academic disciplines; It requires modernising them.

Universities should review programmes every three to five years with active participation from employers, professional bodies, alumni and emerging industries.

Every undergraduate programme should include digital competence, entrepreneurship, project management, financial literacy and communication skills regardless of discipline.

Industry professionals should regularly teach practical modules while students spend extended periods solving real workplace challenges before graduation.

Equally important, career guidance should begin before university admission.

Too many young people select programmes based on public perception rather than aptitude, passion or future opportunities. Better counselling would help students make informed choices while understanding the diverse career pathways available within every discipline.

Government also has a strategic role.

Labour market intelligence must guide educational planning. National development priorities should be continuously communicated to universities without compromising academic freedom.

Incentives should encourage research, innovation and university-industry collaboration, ensuring that discoveries move beyond academic journals into commercial and social application.

The private sector should equally embrace its responsibility by supporting internships, mentorships, apprenticeships and graduate development programmes.

Complaining about unemployable graduates while refusing to participate in their professional development only deepens the challenge.

As a human rights institution, IHRPS Ghana believes education must prepare individuals not only to earn a living but also to live responsibly.

Universities produce teachers who shape future generations, lawyers who defend justice, journalists who protect democracy, artists who preserve culture, scientists who drive innovation, social workers who strengthen communities and researchers who influence public policy.

Every discipline contributes to nation-building.

The issue is not whether knowledge has value.

The issue is whether knowledge is continually adapted to society’s changing needs.

The debate sparked by the former Education Minister should therefore become an opportunity rather than a controversy. Instead of asking whether certain university courses should disappear, Ghana should ask how every programme can become more relevant to a rapidly changing economy.

That conversation would unite government, universities, employers and students around a common objective.

In the end, universities should not merely produce job seekers.

They should produce innovators, ethical leaders, entrepreneurs, researchers, creators and problem-solvers capable of creating jobs where none previously existed.

That is the future Ghana deserves.

And that is the conversation our nation should be having.

By DIVINE AKOTIA

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