You Don't Love Your Children - Bagbin Condemns Early Overseas Education

Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has condemned the rising practice of Ghanaian parents sending their children abroad for education at an early stage, saying the act defeats their socialization with family and the country. 

The Speaker made this remark during the National Integrity Awards Scheme at the D.F. Annan Auditorium in Parliament on Monday, July 27, 2026, urging parents to allow their children finish both their basic and secondary education in Ghana before opting for overseas studies at the tertiary level.

He advised parents to take charge of nurturing values in their children and build connection to Ghana through the local education system before considering options abroad. 

“Many of you who rush your children abroad to study, I beg you, you don’t love your children because you know you are going to lose them,” he said.

“It’s when they study here and get to a stage of maturity, and they want to advance, and they are going to do a Master’s, PhD, and that kind of thing, then you have hope that they will come back,” he added. 

In his view, families who choose overseas studies for their children at a young age lose touch of family bond and weaken their pride in their native country.

“Those you carry as babies and send there, they don’t even come to your funeral. It’s true. They don’t know you. They don’t have any attachment. They don’t like your country. There’s no patriotism there. They don’t know what a family is,” he said.

Mr. Bagbin encouraged parents to prioritize raising their children in Ghana throughout their formative years. 

“Please, I beg you, let’s change our ways,” the Speaker said.

The National Integrity Awards Scheme is being launched to promote integrity and ethical leadership in Ghana.