Patrick Awuah: Educating a new generation of African leaders

www.ted.com Patrick Awuah makes the case that a liberal arts education is critical to forming true leaders.
TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers are invited to give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes -- including speakers such as Jill Bolte Taylor, Sir Ken Robinson, Hans Rosling, Al Gore and Arthur Benjamin. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, and Design, and TEDTalks cover these topics as well as science, business, politics and the arts. Watch the Top 10 TEDTalks on TED.com, at
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[@hogon-yalu]

Thank you Dr. Awuah for bring to us an appeal and clear message from our ancestors. Honours to you for accepting the call, executing their plan, reeducating the current generation and shaping the heart-nind of future generations of African leaders. May our ancestors continue to reenergize, guide, bless and empower you for this redemptive work throughout the continent and the diaspora. You are also making revolutionary changes to our self-concept, self-esteem, self-confidence and African psychological functioning. You have also revolutionizing our African consciousness and African-centered vision of the future. Peace, blessings, Devine guidance and prosperity be upon you, your staff, students and the Asheti University. Best Regards. Nigel.

[@thomasamuzu3351]

13years down the line.... still gold! 11/28/2020.

[@lionelboom]

This is on 4.5 stars rating right now - I'm surprised anyone gives it any less than 5 star. A superb, inspiring talk!

[@300rainmaker]

"If you think education is expensive, try ignorance." Education is expensive business. We need to move away from the mediocre, cheap way of education and rather chart the course for world-class quality education right in Ghana. We should rather look at ways of making funds accessible for students through loans and other avenues like they do anywhere in the world! Quality is delivered at a cost, and we must be ready to pay for it!!!

[@alexyeboah]

The overwhelming difference between this speech and many others before it is that there are actual leadership programs such as from Ashesi college with tangible results.

[@hidri5]

That was a very good video. I appreciate what is doing for Africa,particulary Ghana. If more people like him got involved with rebuilding Ghana then Ghana will be a very powerful nation.

[@mfkquansah]

See how Ashesi has grown over a decade later: ashesi.edu.gh

[@Mwenjo7]

@ofosusam, I am in no way whatsoever questioning the critical thinking skills of science majors, but what I am pointing out is the pursuit of liberal studies which produces lawyers, artists, writers, filmmakers necessary to the culture of a society especially for those scientists who need to relax away from their works. They both are needed, you can't trade a writer's ability to reach the inner psyche of a person for an engineer's ability to repair bridges. Both are needed.

[@fredrickledelea7964]

Am greatly inspired by Patrick Awuah Motivation speech

[@inkmanworkshop]

Thank you so much! You are a true inspiration.

[@jky2020]

An amazing leader. More grace for you Patrick.

[@YahSedQanu]

Africa needs African centered thinkers and Africans with a clear African vision. Not a copy of the failed systematic thinking of Europe. Why haven't we learned and why is it that Africa seems to be only represented by Pro-European Africans who do not recognize the problem Western European form of Governance is causing globally? this is what I'd like to know. Where are the Authentic Africans?

[@dumani1000]

I am greatly inspired.

[@shankararyal3896]

really inspiring talk

[@drsamueliiyambo4445]

Good Talk, enlightening indeed, thanks Patrick.

[@acinamatata6342]

What a great mind and insightful view! Thanks! 13 years later africa still has to work on that!

[@Mwenjo7]

@ofosusam We don't have enough creative chemists, engineers, doctors who coming up with researches and innovations focused on African problems and environments. Most of our brilliant scientists work for international and western companies who can afford to pay them because of all the student loans or scholarship they received. This is a complex issue but dismissing liberal arts by saying it's not intellectual shows how much western imperialism through media has been working. African art needs

[@princetfemi6081]

Excellent

[@andrevermaak6486]

Excellent talk! Inspiring and thought-provoking!

[@wilfredobeng6199]

2023 and every bit of it is still true

[@KemeticYogi]

Awesome Presentation! I am looking fwd to visiting Ashesi University when I visit am in Ghana in October.

[@manotto3939]

Well delivered message👍🏾.. Hope it comes to realisation.

[@sudha1405]

Excellent speech..whatever he told applicable for lot of other countries too.

[@DavidBall67]

As a high school teacher, I believe in a liberal education underlining the strength of a society. Free markets, with a strong liberal education, can save the future of Africans from those who wish it ill.

[@Mwenjo7]

@ofosusam African art, media should be appreciated on its own.

[@benjis007]

thanks!

[@williamdukes8661]

The presentation you gave awesome & full of compassion but why are we so blind to the European interest. They are the hugest weight to African corruption, They have"NEVER " been interested in Africa for Africans and "NEVER" will.That's the problem that needs the most attention!!!!!!!

[@tricialo1]

@Mwenjo7 I agree! Look at Nollywood as a case study! it is the best example of Nigerians consuming what they produce! Liberal studies is also essential to the progress of a continent. Reading what other people have written on their experiences inspires you to do more. The problem is people have a very narrow idea of what liberal arts consists of. Tourism is also another area that most african countries have not fully utilized.

[@JimmyNaraine]

yeah, great speech

[@georgeaklie]

This man share the same story with the ceo of africa leadership university and academy and they also come from ghana.with one vision it like a dream

[@filmsetudiantscinema]

Merci pour cet Présentation. Je suis d'accord nous avons besoin d'éducation. Car comme le dit la bible, '' Mon peuple périt faute de connaissance. Merci pour cette Merveilleuse initiative qu'est la Asheni University.

[@LusoCMD]

I really think that your altruism is great and there should be many more like you, the soil must have the right nutrients and the seed grows by itself to be the tree.

[@Mwenjo7]

@ofosusam liberal arts teaches one critical thinking. You are right to point out that China and India are relying on science and technology to rise, but you can't forget how unequality still persist. Critical thinking may not get a nation to be in the top 10 but it gives opportunity to citizens to learn to think for themselves in science AND/OR philosophy.

[@ghanboy]

Just curious, does anyone know how old Mr. Awuah is?

[@jamesbedukodjograham8711]

Education managers save the afrikan continent to become a glibal giant in science technolgy theology and agriculture. Restructure the curricullum to suitvthe new times and African youth and elders will manicest their God given talents within for the rest of the world to see. The time is now or never.from sir gideon gaskin graham.

[@CrowdPleeza]

Let's assume he's referring to the free markets or capitalism found in Botswana.

[@Mwenjo7]

@ofosusam you were right about Liberal Arts not being the sole focus of an education system until you said it's easy or you don't use your brain because I challenge to show me YOUR creative work whether in poetry, painting, sculpture, drawings where you didn't use your brain and you will come to appreciate the intellectual and patience level required to be an artist. It's actually in the sciences where most of the brainwashing has always been happening.

[@wilfredobeng6199]

5:28 - 5:34😂

[@armandodanielfalconcamacho1169]

Busque burburos de elite y me salio esta wea to' loca xDxDxD

[@djneufville]

Very proud of my former classmate!

[@kwabenaamoyaw5662]

🀏

[@bersanji]

africa needs more than talk. africa needs africans to feel like africans. and stop chasing life abroad and stop blaming white men when ever shit goes wrong. africa needs to stop adopting arabs, jews, christians, or any other not native religion and move on with their life and go back to their ancestors and love the continent with passion. selfish-lessly and to respect fellow africans equally like their own brothers and sisters, either they bantus, cushits or lighter skinned africans.. period

[@scorinaldi]

i'm glad for the work he's doing, but what's with the love affair with free markets? africa has been being perpetually screwed by runaway "free market" economic profiteers since colonialism.

[@Mapassion5]

Entitlement is one of some African graduates problem

[@ofosusam]

@joelet123 I doubt you can present evidece to back this up. I am not against the whole liberal arts thing. I just think it should not be the focus of the education system. teach it in high school. Then at university level we focus on specific areas needed address national manpower needs. Education is not free anymore so we need to focus our small resources most effectively.

[@mfkquansah]

Over a decade later, here's some evidence you may already have come across: ashesi.edu.gh

[@angyuumdavidnereh4679]

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

[@veronicaayeyipeprah3720]

🫡

[@classicalmix]

@kellygun7788 If your IQ was higher than 71 you would know that in order to write an IQ test you need to know how to read and write. I recommend you read wiki/Intelligence_quotient so you know that its given that a 40 year old man who finished high school will score higher than a 40 year old man who only finished grade 2, its not that this person failed grade 3, he just never had the chance to do it, that's what happens in Africa. Educate yourself.

[@300rainmaker]

I said we need to move away from mediocre education.That education is free in Scandinavia doesn't mean it's inexpensive;they get enough Government funds and research grants from other donors. Ghanaian uni. don't have that support and are managing with what they have! What Ashesi is doing is to produce better graduates,and that comes at a cost! FYI, most of the students get scholarships from the school. And please research about University Rankings...and oh! u are WRONG! it's not my school!

[@ofosusam]

@Mwenjo7 Yes, but some subjects are more needed or in demand than others, so we have to set our priorities correctly. I am not against Liberal Arts, but it should not be the focus of an education system. Teach me me how to develop technology first, once done then I can relax and enjoy the shenanigans of philosphy, and classics in my free time. What technological innovation came from liberal arts? Zero. Now tell me why I should make it the focus of my education.

[@melbourneopera]

maybe africans should pass through imperial state, industrial state, and then get the idea of being a modern state....but they didn't bcos they weren't Europeans!

[@itumo2645]

I don't understand why you're giving this talk to Westerners as if they are the stakeholders in Africa's future.

[@guulwade21]

How can Afrika effect change, create wealth, education healthcare when it can’t protect its interest. African states were made to be weak, poor and insufficient by the Europeans who made them because it suits them. When you have a continent with natural resources that literally drive the world economy, and no one is paying a dollar for it, who will spoon feed the Africans. Are the corporations who own African resources interested in educated African elites who can run the mining operations them selves and take them out of business, it doesn’t take a genius to understand what is required. May the Africans should write rap songs about the problem like Biggy and Tupac. No disrespect to Biggy and Tupac because rapping was the only way they could express their grievance.

[@energo9430]

Hahahah go and study it...if you want to be a leader, in your mcdonalds shift hahahah. Give me a break, the most useless degree, together with genred studies, woman studies etc.