When learning fades: A threat to nation building

By Henry Atta NYAME

A student can spend years in school, pass every exam, graduate with confidence, and still struggle to recall much of what was learned. If this is the reality for many learners, then we must ask: is education truly shaping minds, or merely rewarding short-term memory?

I once spoke with a colleague who admitted he could remember only a small part of what he learned in school. Even basic school lessons had largely faded. His reflection raises a troubling question: if knowledge disappears so easily after school, what then is the real value of education?

In an interview, the Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) noted that even before the COVID era, “the things children were taught, they have forgotten” (TV3 Ghana, 2021).

Education thrives when learners continue to seek knowledge after leaving the classroom. The ability and willingness to learn throughout life is a sign that teaching has gone beyond examination success and fostered genuine understanding. Yet in Ghana, many learners struggle to recall lessons studied only a few years earlier. This raises concerns about how effectively the education system promotes knowledge retention and lifelong learning.

The problem

The problem of forgetting is not new.

More than a century ago, German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus demonstrated that memory fades rapidly without reinforcement. Research continues to support this finding. According to Cathleen Beachboard (2025), learners may lose about 50 percent of new information within an hour, 75 percent within a day, and up to 90 percent within a week if it is not reviewed or applied.

It is therefore not surprising that students sometimes forget what they studied during examinations. More concerning is the reality that years after school, much of what was learned may no longer be accessible. This raises a fundamental question: what is the purpose of education if knowledge is not retained?

Imagine a medical student forgetting critical lessons shortly after graduation. What would become of the patients who depend on that knowledge for their care and survival? If knowledge retention is essential in medicine, it is equally important in every field where learning is expected to guide decisions, solve problems, and improve lives.

Sometimes, nobody knows that an individual has forgotten important knowledge until the consequences become evident. By then, mistakes may already have been made and harm may already have occurred. This is what makes knowledge loss a hidden threat.

Factors

There are several reasons why students forget what they learn.

A major factor is the strong focus on examinations. Students often study to pass exams rather than to understand. Success is measured by grades rather than genuine comprehension. This has produced the familiar “chew and pour” approach, where learners memorise information for examinations and forget it soon afterwards.

Another challenge is the weak connection between classroom learning and real life. When students fail to see relevance in what they are learning, retention becomes difficult.

The effects are visible in the workplace. Some graduates can follow instructions but struggle to think critically or solve problems independently, suggesting that learning was geared towards examinations rather than practical application.

If lifelong learning is absent, how can learners thrive in the workplace? Success depends not only on what was learned in school but also on the ability to retain, apply, and build upon knowledge over time.

This concern is echoed by industry leaders. One expert stressed the need for graduates to acquire practical skills and exposure to modern tools before leaving school. He argued that short internships alone are insufficient and that technology should be embedded into training from the outset so that graduates become employable and adaptable.

He further noted that the Ghana News Agency now prioritises applicants with modern media skills because workplaces increasingly demand continuous learning and technological competence (Abigail Arthur, Citinewsroom.com, 2026).

Other factors such as financial constraints, long distances to school, limited learning materials, and ineffective teaching approaches also affect retention. In many classrooms, students remain passive recipients of information, copying notes rather than engaging deeply with ideas.

According to Dickson Essan (2025), students who undergo practical training before graduation adjust better to the workplace because they already understand real-life situations. Confidence also matters. Learners who believe they can succeed are more likely to ask questions, participate actively, and strengthen long-term memory.

Retention strategies

Educational researcher Youki Terada (2017) highlights several evidence-based strategies that improve knowledge retention:

• Peer-to-peer explanation: Explaining concepts to others strengthens understanding and memory (Sekeres et al., 2016).
• Spacing effect: Revisiting content over time improves long-term retention (Carpenter et al., 2012; Kang, 2016).
• Frequent practice tests: Low-stakes testing strengthens recall and reduces examination stress (Adesope, Trevisan, & Sundararajan, 2017; Butler, 2010; Karpicke, 2016).
• Interleaving concepts: Mixing different problem types improves critical thinking and flexibility (Rohrer, 2012; Rohrer, Dedrick, & Stershic, 2015).
• Combining text with images: Presenting information in multiple formats improves understanding and recall (Carney & Levin, 2002; Bui & McDaniel, 2015).

These strategies share a common principle: knowledge must be revisited, applied, and reinforced if it is to endure.

When students forget what they learn, education loses its deeper purpose. Passing examinations alone is not enough.

Ghana’s education system must focus not only on teaching but also on ensuring that learners retain and apply knowledge. Education should prepare people for life, not just for examinations.

According to UNESCO, lifelong learning is essential for addressing poverty, hunger, climate change, and broader social development challenges. It enables individuals to continuously improve themselves and adapt to a rapidly changing world. In an era where people must frequently upskill and reskill, lifelong learning is no longer a luxury but a necessity.

If lifelong learning is essential for national development, then strengthening knowledge retention must become a priority.

In the end, education is not measured by what is briefly learned, but by what remains: what is remembered, applied, and built upon throughout life.

Henry is an Institutional Assessment Practitioner

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