Minister of Education, Dr. Yaw Adutwum, says that the country needs youth with innovative ideas to lift the country out of poverty.

Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile-Joy Change Speakers series, the Minister proffered some solutions to issues bedeviling Ghana’s education sector.

“Many years ago, there were inventors who did not even go to school but today’s world of creative explosion requires that inventors have a different level of education and expertise especially in the field of technology.

"We can only innovate ourselves out of poverty when we have critical thinking young men and women; individuals who’ll look at the opportunities surrounding them and look at our age-old problems with a new set of eyes,” he said.

Dr. Adutwum recommended that the current assessment regime in the education sector be critically looked at to eradicate the “era of memorization” which according to him, has been the norm for a long time.

He called for an era of critical thinking students, saying “we have to have an assessment regime where children are called upon to think on their feet, where in our classroom teachers allow students to question at every point what is being taught.”

He added that there is the need for an era where students are made to be active participants and not be passive observers.

Moreover, he recommended a new educational system which would be facilitated and purposed for addressing the country’s 21st century problems.

He stressed on making STEM education accessible to every individual and the use of virtual means in studying science where possible.

The Minister also appealed to the public to “pursue the course of growing a nation beyond aid as envisaged by the President, Nana Addo-Dankwa Akufo-Addo.”