Deputy Minister for Education and Builsa South Member of Parliament, Dr Clement Abas Apaak, says the redevelopment of the W. E. B. Du Bois Centre must go beyond preserving a historic building to creating a resource for teaching and researching African history.
He said the Centre should provide students, teachers and researchers with direct access to the writings, personal materials and ideas of Dr. W. E. B. Du Bois.
Dr Apaak made the remarks in Accra on Thursday, August 27, 2026, when he represented the Minister for Education at a ceremony marking the 63rd anniversary of Dr Du Bois’ death and the launch of a 365-day countdown to the rededication of his bungalow.
According to Dr Apaak, Du Bois’ lifelong commitment to education, research and the advancement of people of African descent remains relevant to Ghana’s education system.
He said young people must be given opportunities to study Africa’s history from African perspectives and to develop the ability to research, question and contribute to knowledge about the continent.
Dr Du Bois moved to Ghana in 1961 at the invitation of then-President Kwame Nkrumah to work on the Encyclopedia Africana, an initiative aimed at documenting African history and knowledge from an African perspective.
Although he died before completing the project, Dr Apaak said its underlying vision remains relevant to contemporary education.
He said the planned redevelopment of the Centre, including the restoration of the bungalow, preservation of Du Bois’ personal materials and establishment of a museum and research library, would provide an important educational resource.
The Centre currently houses about 1,500 books, journals and other publications associated with Dr Du Bois.
Dr Apaak said preserving the collection would allow future generations to study Du Bois’ ideas and understand the historical period in which he lived and worked.
He also stressed the importance of exposing students to historical sites and museums, arguing that education should not be confined to the classroom.
“Places such as the Du Bois Centre allow students to see the people, objects and records behind the subjects they study,” he said.
The Deputy Minister said the participation of students in the commemoration was particularly important because the Centre must remain a place where young people can encounter history directly.
He said the facility should inspire students to read widely, think independently, conduct research and develop their own ideas.
The ceremony also marked the beginning of the 365-day countdown to the planned rededication of the Du Bois bungalow on August 27, 2027.
Dr Apaak commended the W. E. B. Du Bois Museum Foundation and its partners for their efforts to redevelop the Centre and expressed the Ministry’s readiness to support initiatives that connect education with museums, archives and historic sites.
He said preserving Du Bois’ legacy was ultimately about equipping young people with the knowledge and confidence to contribute meaningfully to Ghana, Africa and the wider world.
Source: Bolgafmonline.com |102.7 MHz| Bolgatanga
