Former African Union High Representative for Silencing the Guns, Dr Mohamed Ibn Chambas, has described education as one of the most effective long-term strategies for combating corruption.

He urged Ghana to place greater emphasis on value-based learning to nurture ethical and responsible citizens.

Delivering the second Mfantsipim Sesquicentennial Lecture in Accra on Wednesday, July 29, Dr Chambas said the fight against corruption cannot be left to law enforcement agencies alone but must begin in classrooms through the deliberate cultivation of integrity and civic responsibility.

According to him, corruption remains a major obstacle to democratic governance and sustainable development, weakening institutions, discouraging investment and eroding public confidence in government.

"Education is one of the most effective anti-corruption strategies available to any nation," he said.

Dr Chambas noted that corruption has far-reaching consequences, including the pollution of lakes, rivers and other water bodies, the degradation of forests, the weakening of public institutions and the widening of social inequalities.

"Combating corruption requires more than effective law enforcement. It requires ethical formation from childhood. Integrity should not begin when one enters public office. It should begin in the classroom," he said.

Dr Chambas explained that children who are taught fairness, honesty, responsibility, respect for public property and the importance of not cheating in examinations are more likely to become adults who uphold the public trust and resist the abuse of power.

He therefore called on educational institutions to make character formation an integral part of learning, arguing that academic excellence alone cannot produce the ethical leadership needed to transform society.

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