Educating public servants for a post-COVID-19 world: MPA/MPP curricular implications in Ghana

ABSTRACT

As the world marked the second anniversary of COVID-19 in March, “Build Back Better” had impacted the policy lexicon that played out in real people’s lives. But what does it take to implement such policy? In public administration education discourse, developing nations do not receive as much attention in mainstream outlets. The article extends the discourse by exploring and connecting public sector work force policy to public administration education and public service training in Ghana. After reviewing literature and analyzing MPA/MPP curricula there, it discusses learning outcomes and assesses the quality of competence, while extrapolating lessons learned. The article concludes by proposing a critical pedagogy-inspired curriculum that integrates social equity and blends unique domestic need with global concerns.

KEYWORDS:

• Curriculum
• development
• education
• equity
• policy

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Peter Haruna

Peter Haruna is a Professor of Public Administration at Texas A&M International University, Laredo Texas. His research focuses on international and comparative administration, governance structures, public administration education, and public service training. His work has appeared in Public Integrity, Public Administration Review, International Journal of Public Administration, and Public Administration Theory & Praxis.