Each year, thousands of young people graduate from universities across Ghana with certificates that represent years of academic study, personal sacrifice and financial investment. Graduation is often presented as the beginning of professional success. Yet for many graduates, the transition from university to employment remains uncertain.

This reality raises a fundamental question about the purpose of higher education: are Ghanaian universities primarily producing graduates, or are they developing a workforce equipped to respond to the demands of a rapidly changing economy?

The question is particularly important in a country where youth unemployment remains a significant socioeconomic concern. The Ghana Statistical Service does not publish a separate graduate unemployment rate, but national unemployment has stood at 13.4 percent, while unemployment among persons aged 15 to 35 has reached 19.7 percent. These figures point to a broader challenge in the transition from education to productive employment.

The university–workplace disconnect

The challenge is not necessarily that university education lacks value. Rather, it is the growing distance between academic knowledge and workplace expectations.

As a journalism and media studies student, I have experienced this distinction firsthand. University courses have introduced me to journalism ethics, media history, research methods and the theoretical foundations of effective reporting. These areas are essential to professional journalism because they provide the intellectual and ethical framework within which journalists operate.

However, practical newsroom experience has revealed another dimension of professional preparation.

Working under deadlines, conducting interviews, identifying relevant information, responding to editorial feedback and producing content for an actual audience require skills that cannot be developed fully through theoretical instruction alone. The experience has demonstrated to me that academic knowledge provides a foundation, but professional competence develops through application.

This distinction is not unique to journalism. Across several professions, employers increasingly expect graduates to demonstrate not only academic qualifications but also communication, critical thinking, problem-solving, adaptability, teamwork and technological competence.

A concern within higher education

The issue has also attracted attention from Ghana's academic community.

At the Vice Chancellors Ghana Conference in Accra, Professor Richard Kwasi Amankwah, Chairman of Vice Chancellors Ghana, called for greater emphasis on practical, technical and entrepreneurial skills alongside academic instruction. His position reflects an increasing recognition that universities must prepare students not only to understand their disciplines but also to apply their knowledge within professional environments.

Similarly, concerns have been raised about the rapid expansion of access to university education without corresponding investment in infrastructure, faculty and curriculum development.

Expanding access is undoubtedly important. Higher education can improve social mobility, develop human capital and expand opportunities for young people. However, expansion without adequate attention to quality and relevance may produce a system in which increasing numbers of students obtain qualifications without acquiring sufficient opportunities to develop practical competence.

The objective, therefore, should not simply be to increase the number of graduates. It should be to improve the quality and relevance of the education those graduates receive.

Rethinking what a degree represents

A degree should not be dismissed as merely a piece of paper. University education develops intellectual independence, research ability, discipline and critical thought.

My own academic experience has reinforced this view. Studying journalism and media has taught me to question information, evaluate sources, consider ethical consequences and understand the social responsibilities associated with media practice. These are competencies that cannot easily be replaced by short-term professional training.

However, the value of theoretical education becomes greater when it is connected to practical experience.

A journalism student may understand the principles of news writing, but professional competence requires the ability to apply those principles under pressure. An engineering student may understand technical concepts, but professional development requires opportunities to apply those concepts to real problems.

The challenge for universities is therefore not to choose between theory and practice, but to establish a productive relationship between the two.

Government and industry have a role

The skills gap is increasingly being treated as a national development issue rather than simply an educational concern.

In his 2026 State of the Nation Address, President John Mahama announced plans to establish three new technical universities, with an emphasis on addressing Ghana's skills gap and youth unemployment. The policy direction reflects growing recognition that technical and vocational education can play an important role in producing industry-ready workers.

However, institutional expansion alone will not resolve the problem.

Universities need stronger partnerships with industry, meaningful internship opportunities, updated curricula and greater exposure to professional environments. Employers, in turn, should contribute to developing the talent they expect to recruit rather than treating graduates as finished products.

Students must also take responsibility

The responsibility does not rest entirely with universities or government.

Students must recognise that employability is developed progressively rather than awarded at graduation. Internships, volunteering, student organisations, professional networks, personal projects and independent learning can complement formal academic education.

My experience at my school's radio station has reinforced this principle. Every story produced, interview conducted, deadline met and editorial correction received has contributed to my professional development.

These experiences may not appear on an academic transcript, but they develop competencies that become increasingly important when students enter professional environments.

Towards a future-ready workforce

The central question, therefore, is not whether Ghanaian universities are producing graduates. They clearly are.

The more important question is whether those graduates are being equipped to contribute effectively to Ghana's social and economic development.

A future-ready workforce requires more than academic qualifications. It requires individuals who can think critically, adapt to technological change, solve unfamiliar problems, communicate effectively and apply knowledge in practical contexts.

Universities remain central to achieving this objective, but they cannot do it alone. Government must create an enabling policy environment, industry must strengthen its engagement with educational institutions, and students must take ownership of their professional development.

Ultimately, the purpose of higher education should extend beyond the production of certificates.

A degree should mark the completion of one stage of learning, not the completion of preparation for life and work.

Ghana's challenge is therefore not simply to produce more graduates, but to ensure that those graduates possess the knowledge, practical competence and adaptability required to build the future the country needs.

Sambien John is a journalism and media studies student.