Do Ghanaian Students Still Dream Big? Inside the Ambitions, Fears & Hopes of Gen Z Learners
In classrooms, hostels, community libraries, and social media groups across Ghana, a new generation of students is rising ambitious, outspoken, creative, but also quietly wrestling with fears about the future. They are Ghana’s Gen Z learners, born into a digital world and educated in a fast-changing society where opportunities feel both limitless and uncertain.
While national conversations often focus on unemployment, economic pressures, and brain drain, a deeper story is unfolding beneath the surface: Ghanaian students still dream loudly, boldly, and sometimes fearfully about the lives they want to build.
A Generation With Global Vision
For many young learners, the world feels closer than ever. With TikTok, YouTube, AI tools, and online courses, students now think beyond traditional careers.
At the University of Ghana, 20-year-old software engineering student Michael Owusu says global exposure has widened their ambitions.
“A lot of us want to create things, not just look for jobs. We want to build apps, launch businesses, or work with international teams. The world feels open, but the competition is scary too.”
He is not alone. A 2024 survey by the Education Policy Institute Ghana found that 7 out of 10 students want to start their own businesses, and 62% want careers that allow them to work internationally, even while living in Ghana.
Creativity on the Rise
In senior high schools, creativity is becoming a new language of ambition. Fashion design clubs, robotics teams, spoken-word poetry events, content creation labs, and campus photography groups have grown rapidly.
At Accra High School, 17-year-old student content creator Ama Konadu says expressing creativity is part of their identity.
“Our parents wanted secure jobs. We want secure lives — but also freedom, passion, and the chance to create something meaningful.”
She dreams of becoming a filmmaker documenting African stories through a Gen Z lens.
The Fear in the Background
But behind the bold dreams are real fears.
Across tertiary campuses, the biggest concern remains unemployment. According to the 2023 Graduate Tracking Survey, about 55% of graduates take more than a year to secure stable jobs. Students are aware of these statistics, and it shapes their choices.
At KNUST, final-year economics student Bernard Armah says the uncertainty weighs on many.
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Dreams Driven by Purpose, Not Pressure
Despite the challenges, today’s learners show a deeper desire for purpose-driven careers.
In a MulticdbOnline mini-street survey across Osu, Labone, and Legon:
- Healthcare and tech emerged as top dream fields
- Students showed rising interest in creative arts, media and entertainment
- Many expressed a passion for entrepreneurship and environmental sustainability
19-year-old diploma student Naa Dedei wants to become a marine conservationist a dream inspired by documentaries and rising public awareness of climate change.
“Our generation cares a lot about impact. We want to fix things, not just complain,” she said.
The Weight of Expectations
For many students, family expectations still shape decision-making. Parents often push for medicine, law, engineering, or accounting even when learners want something different.
20-year-old SHS graduate Kweku Ben shared,
“My dream is to be an animator. But anytime I mention it at home, they ask if animation can pay bills. So sometimes you end up living two lives — your dream life and your practical life.”
This tension reveals a generational gap between passion and pressure.
Hope That Pushes Through
Even with fears, uncertainties, and societal pressure, one thing is clear: Ghanaian students still dream big just with more realism, creativity, and global awareness than ever before.
Guidance counsellors say Gen Z’s blend of ambition and anxiety is not a sign of weakness but a reflection of a generation navigating economic complexity while refusing to give up hope.
Educational sociologist Dr. Evelyn Ansah explained:
“This generation is incredibly resilient. They know the challenges, but they are also the most resourceful group we have seen. Their dreams are shaped by courage and caution — and that combination may be exactly what Ghana needs.”
As Ghana prepares for a future driven by technology, innovation, and global competition, the dreams of its students may hold the blueprint for the country’s next evolution a future built by young minds who dare to imagine more, even when the road ahead feels uncertain.