“We Are Losing Ourselves”: Special Prosecutor Warns of Cultural Drift in Ghana’s Education System

By Boakye Stephen, Kumasi, Ghana | Reporting for Ghanaian News, Canada March 28, 2026

Ghana’s Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, has raised concerns about what he describes as a growing loss of cultural identity driven by the country’s education system.

Speaking at the 95th anniversary celebration of Accra Academy in Accra, Agyebeng questioned the philosophical underpinnings of formal education and its long-term impact on national identity.

“Why do we go to school? Why do we educate ourselves?” he asked, urging a deeper reflection on the purpose of education beyond economic survival.

He pointed to the colonial origins of Ghana’s educational framework, arguing that it has historically marginalized indigenous knowledge systems and languages.

“Our own languages were banished from schools as uncultured vernacular,” he said.

Agyebeng warned that the consequences of such a system extend beyond academics, affecting how Ghanaians perceive themselves and their place in the world.

“We are losing ourselves — and with ourselves, our aspirations. We are not recognizable,” he stated.

He called for a transformation of the education system into one that not only equips students with skills for employment but also preserves cultural heritage and fosters independent thinking. According to him, education should serve as a foundation for both identity and innovation.

“Do not be weak… lest you be swallowed up by others,” he cautioned, emphasizing the need for resilience in a globalized world.

His remarks come amid ongoing debates across Africa about how to balance global competitiveness with the preservation of local cultures and traditions.

Commentary (Boakye Stephen):

This is not merely an educational critique—it is an existential reflection on nationhood.

A country that imports its intellectual framework without adaptation risks losing its voice in the global conversation. Language, culture, and identity are not ornamental; they are foundational to how societies think, innovate, and progress.

When language is sidelined, identity begins to erode. And when identity weakens, a nation’s sense of direction can become uncertain.

Ghana—and Africa more broadly—faces a central paradox: how to compete effectively in a globalized world while maintaining cultural distinctiveness.

The answer may lie in reimagining education—not just as a tool for producing workers, but as a system that nurtures thinkers grounded in their heritage and empowered by knowledge.