Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin issued a sharp criticism on July 27, 2026, targeting Ghanaian parents who rush their young children overseas for basic and secondary education.
Speaking at the launch of the National Integrity Awards Scheme at the D.F. Annan Auditorium in Parliament, Bagbin argued that sending children abroad at an early age destroys family bonds, erases cultural identity, and kills patriotism.
Addressing the audience, the Speaker delivered a blunt assessment to parents who ship their young children off to foreign schools. “Many of you who rush your children abroad to study, i beg you, you don’t love your children because you don’t love your children because you know you are going to lose them,” Bagbin declared.
Bagbin explained that children who grow up thousands of miles away from home lose all meaningful attachment to their parents, culture, and homeland. He noted that these children often abandon their roots entirely, to the point where they fail to return home even for family funerals.
According to the Speaker, parents who take their infants and young children out of Ghana rob those children of true sense of family and national belonging.
While Bagbin strongly opposed sending young children abroad, he clarified that he does not oppose international higher education.
Instead, he outlined a clear pathway for Ghanaian families:
- Allow children to finish their basic, secondary, and undergraduate studies within Ghana.
- Let local schools instill core Ghanaian values, culture, and patriotism during a child’s formative years.
- Encourage students to travel overseas only when they reach adulthood to pursue Master’s or PhD programs.
Bagbin stressed that mature students who complete their foundational education in Ghana hold a strong attachment to home and consistently return to build the nation.
The Speaker linked his appeal directly to the core mission of the National Integrity Awards Scheme, which promotes ethical leadership and patriotic commitment across Ghana.
Bagbin concluded his address with a passionate plea to Ghanaian parents: “Please, I beg you, let’s change our ways.” He urged families across the country to raise their children at home and preserve the social fabric of the nation.
