Inculcate Japanese education style in schools – Prof. Amoah

 The Director of Centre for Asian Studies at the Univer­sity of Ghana, Professor Lloyd Amoah, yesterday advocated the inculcation of the Japanese style of education in the country’s schools.

According to him, adopting Japanese style of education in schools, especially basic educa­tion would help build a more sensitive, alert, more collective sense of self than it currently experiencing.

The Japanese style education is a holistic approach in educa­tion that aims to build overall character of children focusing on three components.

These components includes, “Solid Academic Ability,” that focuses on competency to solidly learn the basics by taking initiative to find issues, learn and think, decide and act inde­pendently and to also better solve problems.

Also, “Rich Humanity,” that fo­cus on self-discipline, cooperation with others, kindness and ability to be moved, and “Healthy Body,” which also focuses on health and physical fitness to love actively.

Speaking at an exchange event with students from University of Tokyo and the University of Ghana in Accra, Prof. Amoah said even though educational system in Japan was not far-fetched from educational system in the country, however, due to the exceptional training in Japanese basic school made the citizens more organised, responsible and like to volunteer.

The event aimed to facilitate cross-cultural dialogue between students of the same generation in Ghana and Japan, fostering a deeper understanding of the edu­cational systems in both countries through the exchange of ideas.

“The aim of their system of education is to raise responsible and alerted citizens, they are aware of their surroundings, that they take care of their cities because they love their country, so this partnership with Japan, I think, should help us to begin to look at the educational system and build a more sensitive, more alert, more collective sense of self than I think that we now have,” he noted.

The Ambassador of Japan to Ghana, Mr Hiroshi Yoshimoto, said Japan citizens were made at the elementary school which held children develop their basic characters.

He stated that in Japan, chil­dren learn through school activities not only academic skills, but also some duties and tasks, including talking to each other and sharing their worries and concerns, adding that pupils encourage each other.

This, he noted that, these mixture of feelings and experience help children to work hard and accomplish their dreams.

“We like to share those kind of Japanese traits of education with Ghana.

There is a discussion with the Ministry of Education to have some partnership through the education system, especially in making the most of the Japanese system,” he disclosed.

The Chief Representative of Japan International Coop­eration Agency (JICA), Ghana, Ms Momoko Suzuki, said JICA believes that human capital was the integral part of a country’s economic development making it important to invest in educa­tion system, especially curricular activities.

“It is not only about academ­ic performances, like mathemat­ics or English but we need to prioritise soft skills, such as like teamwork, leadership, commu­nication skills, discipline and timelines and hygiene to help raise responsible citizens,” she indicated.

BY KINGSLEY ASARE

THE Internal Audit Agency (IAA) has launched two documents to promote professionalism in audit practice in the public sector.

The documents are the 2025 revised Risk-Based Internal Audit (RBIA) Manual and the 2025-2028 Strategic Plan.

The Director-General of the Internal Audit Agency, Dr Eric Oduro Osae, said the develop­ment of the two documents had become necessary to meet current needs and the changing dynamics of audit practice.

He explained that the RBIA Manual had been revised to reflect best global practices, including the 2024 Global Internal Audit Standards of the Institute of Internal Audi­tors, the ISO 31000:2018 Risk Management Standard, and the Committee of Sponsoring Organisations’ 2013 Internal Control Framework.

“This manual provides a structured methodology for internal auditors to assess, miti­gate, and report on risks in public sector institutions, ensuring that resources are utilised effectively and for their intended purposes,” he stated, adding that “the manual documented the standard prac­tice requirements of all internal auditors provided guidance in audit practice in the public service.”

Dr Osae emphasised that the manual also introduced consisten­cy in internal audit practices across the public sector and ensured that internal audit activities in the public sector aligned with global standards.

Furthermore, Dr Osae stated that the new manual took into account the country’s Public Fi­nancial Management laws and the new global auditing standards.

“The adoption of the new standards has the potential to strengthen Public Financial Management systems, promote accountability and improved finan­cial governance, reduce corruption using a preventive approach, and enhance value for money in public administration,” he explained.

Dr Osae then urged audit professionals in the public sector to commit to the principles of integrity, professionalism, and accountability in the country’s quest for effective public financial management.

On the strategic plan, Dr Osae mentioned that it provided a pro­fessional blueprint to guide efforts to professionalise internal audit practice in Ghana’s public sector.

He explained that the plan was based on five pillars, including building and strengthening institu­tional capacity, enhancing the hu­man and logistical resources of the IAA for effectiveness, improving internal audit practice for effective Public Financial Management, and strengthening the internal audit function across public institutions.

The former Board Chairman of the IAA, Joseph Winful, added that the implementation of the plan would also enhance value for money in government business.

The President of the Insti­tute of Internal Auditors, Joseph Dakora Zumasigee, commended the IAA for developing the manual

 BY CECILIA YADA LAGBA

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