Dr. Ernest Nyamekye is a dedicated and accomplished academic professional, currently serving as a Lecturer in the Department of Arts Education at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana. He holds a PhD in Arts Education, with specializations in Ghanaian language teaching as well as curriculum and instruction. Dr. Nyamekye has a passion for exploring the intricate intersections of language, identity, and education. His research interests include Language-in-Education Policy, Language Teaching Research, Bilingualism and Bilingual Education, Applied Linguistics, Curriculum and Instruction, and the nexus between Language, Education, and the Critical Thinking Development of Ghanaian children. He is also committed to deepening his understanding of how Ghanaian culture impacts the implementation of constructivist instruction and critical pedagogy. Dr. Nyamekye has published several research papers with reputable publishers such as Taylor & Francis, Sage Publishing, Elsevier, the Public Library of Science (PLOS), and Springer Nature. He has also reviewed numerous papers for top-tier publishers, including Taylor & Francis, Sage Publishing, Wiley and Sons, and Springer Nature, among others.
At the heart of my teaching philosophy is a deep commitment to constructivist and critical pedagogical approaches, rooted in the belief that education must be transformative, liberatory, and culturally responsive. I view the classroom not merely as a site of knowledge transmission, but as a dynamic space where learners actively construct meaning through dialogue, reflection, and critical inquiry. Grounded in the principles of constructivism, I believe that students learn best when they connect new ideas to their own lived experiences and cultural backgrounds. I strive to create learning environments where learners are encouraged to question, explore, and co-create knowledge, moving beyond rote memorization to meaningful understanding. I view students not as passive recipients of information, but as active agents capable of shaping their own learning journeys.
Critical pedagogy is equally central to my practice. I see education as a powerful tool for challenging social inequities, dismantling colonial legacies, and empowering students to critically examine the structures that shape their world. In my teaching, I foster critical consciousness by inviting learners to interrogate dominant narratives and to envision alternative futures that are just, inclusive, and rooted in their own cultural realities. A key dimension of my philosophy is a passionate commitment to the decolonization of education. I advocate for redefining literacy beyond its narrow, technical conception, embracing an ideological perspective that recognizes literacy as deeply political and culturally situated. For me, true literacy must honor indigenous knowledge systems, valorize local languages, and affirm the diverse ways of knowing that have long sustained communities across Ghana and beyond.
Through my teaching, I aim to inspire students to see their linguistic and cultural heritage not as barriers to academic success, but as vital assets that enrich the learning process and contribute meaningfully to global knowledge. I am dedicated to nurturing reflective, critical thinkers who are grounded in their identities and prepared to engage thoughtfully and ethically with the complexities of the world. In every course I teach, I strive to embody a pedagogy of hope, justice, and cultural affirmation — one that empowers learners to not only succeed academically, but also to imagine and work toward a more equitable and culturally vibrant society
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Presenter
The Kyoto Conference on Arts, Media & Culture (KAMC2023) Kyoto, Japan (Online.
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Presenter
The Kyoto Conference on Arts, Media & Culture (KAMC2023) Kyoto, Japan (Online).
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Facilitator
Contemporary Issues in Fisheries Management. Fisheries Leadership Short course for Practitioners funded by USAID/Fisheries Recovery Activity Ghana.
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Presenter
International and Regional Fisheries Institutional Frameworks and Bodies. Workshop on Destabilising Impacts of Distant Water Fishing Vessels (DWFV) in the Gulf of Guinea Yaounde, Cameroon.
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Guest Speaker
“Promoting Research Excellence for Impact on Marine Conservation in Africa”, Institute for Oceans and Fisheries Online Seminar Series University of British Columbia, Canada.
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Co-Facilitator
“Grants Proposal Writing Workshop” University for Development Studies.
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Presenter
“Performance of the Africa Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience”, Country Round Table Workshop Association of African Universities (AAU), Online.
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Facilitator
“Regional Political Parties Dialogue on Fisheries: Protecting Our Fish, Securing Our Future, Live Engagement on JoyNews TV Centre for National Culture, Cape Coast.
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Presenter
Professorial Inaugural Lecture on the topic “Our Oceans: Securing Our Common Future through Transformative Research” Medical School Auditorium, University of Cape Coast.
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Presenter
Africa’s Plastic Revolution: Advancing Global Solutions for Healthy Oceans, T.D. Walter Bean Professorship Public Lecture University of Waterloo, Canada.
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Presenter
Expanding the Impact of Research on Africa’s Blue Economy. National Consultative Workshop for the Formulation of a National Blue Economy Strategy for Angola Luanda, Angola.
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Panelist
Regional Steering Committee Workshop for the World Bank West African Coastal Resilience Investment Projects (WACA ReSiP and ReiP2) Banjul, Gambia.
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Facilitator
Coastal Adaptation to Climate Change. Short-term Training Course funded by USAID Ghana.
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Co-Discussant
“Expanding the Impact of Blue Economy in Africa” (with Professor Rashid Sumaila) World Bank Headquarters, Washington.
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Facilitator
Workshop on “Winning Research and Development Grants in a Competitive World” Bolgatanga Technical University, Ghana.
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Facilitator
Workshop on “Proposal and Grants writing” University of Ghana, Ghana.
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Speaker
Study Tour on Sustainable Fisheries Management & Leadership University of Rhode Island, United States.
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Presenter
Vulnerability to Viability (V2V) Ghana Case Study. Bootcamp on moving fisheries from Vulnerability to Viability Puri, Delhi, India.
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Guest Speaker
Workshop Presentation on “Expanding the Impact of Research on Africa’s Blue Economy in Africa Hohai University, China.
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Participant
6th ACE Impact Regional Workshop of the World Bank and the Association of African Universities Accra (Online).
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Panelist
Seaweed (Sargassum) Invasion on the Ghanaian Coasts, Implications for the National Economy and Management Live TV Broadcast, GTV.
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Guest Speaker
“West African Fisheries”, Workshop by the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) University of Makerere, Kampala, Uganda.
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The Samuel and Emelia Brew-Butler - SGS/GRASAG, UCC Research Grant (PhD thesis)
University of Cape Coast
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The Samuel and Emelia Brew-Butler - SGS/GRASAG, UCC Research Grant (MPhil Thesis)
University of Cape Coast
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Member
UTAG
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Team member, Contract for services to deliver a short course on Marine Litter under the OCPP
Cefas/UKAID
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Panel Chair, Reviewed Environmental Impact Statement of PECAN Energies for Offshore Exploration of Oil & Gas
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of Ghana, Secondi/Takoradi
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Team member, Contract for development of a short course on Marine Litter for the West Africa Region
Ocean Country Partnership Program (OCPP) funded by Cefas/UKAID
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Team member, Contract services to conduct data collection surveys on abandoned lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) in Ghana
Ocean Country Partnership Program (OCPP) funded by Cefas/UKAID
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Lead Consultant, Contract for the Development of Fishery Courses Syllabi for Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture Sciences (DoFAS), University of Liberia
IDA-V3100
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Panel Chair, Evaluation of Applications for recruitment of Environmental, Social Safeguards Officers for Ghana’s Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI)
World Bank funded West Africa Coastal Areas Management Programme
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Lead Consultant, Consultancy to review and align national fisheries and aquaculture polices and laws with the PFRS, regional instruments and global best practices for 15 AU Member States
African Union – InterAfrican Bureau of Animal Resources (AU-IBAR)
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Lead Consultant, Mechanisms to Facilitate the Domestication of Global Instruments and Initiatives (2022)
African Union – InterAfrican Bureau of Animal Resources (AU-IBAR)
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Lead Consultant, Identification of Issues for SIDS, Development of Draft Strategic Positions for SIDS
African Union – InterAfrican Bureau of Animal Resources (AU-IBAR)
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Team member, Environmental Systems Analysis of the Avu Lagoon Protected area
Calgary Zoo Foundation
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Trainer, Conduct Marine Spatial Planning Workshop in Ghana
University of Liverpool
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Team member, Pre-feasibility study for nature-based intervention for Anlo Beach community in Ghana
Valued at US$32,365.00
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Team member, Marine Plastic Pollution Study in Liberia
Conservation International
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Team member, Vulnerability, Adaptation and Resilience in a Changing Climate - WACA -VAR Workshop
World Bank
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Consultant, Support Development of Multi-sector Resilience Investment Programme for the West Africa Coastal Area Management Program
World Bank
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Consultant, Issues and Opportunities in the Ghanaian Fishery Sector: Addressing the context, prospects and challenges
Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), United Kingdom
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Consultant, Estimations on renewable energy investments in Ghana
Highland Star Group (HSG) of Companies, Geneva, Switzerland
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Team Member, Regional Mapping of Experts and Institutions in Coastal management
World Bank
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Lead Consultant, Review of the Fisheries Act 2002 (act 625) and the Development of Draft Regulations for the conduct of Fisheries Impact Assessments
Ghana Industrial Trawlers Association (GITA) and GOGIG funded by DFID/UK
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Team member, Environmental baseline survey of water bodies in the Great Consolidated Diamond Ghana Limited (GCDGL) mining concession
AERC Ltd.
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Team member, Scoping Study on the Dredging of the Whin Estuary in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis
UCC Consultancy Unit/Consolidated Energy Ltd.
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Team member, Social Ecology of Anlo Beach Wetland of Ghana
Friends of the Nation/IUCN/French Global Environment Facility (GEF)
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Principal Investigator, Biodiversity Assessment of Urban Wetlands in the Western Region, Ghana with focus on Essei and Butuah Lagoons and the Whin River Estuary
USAID through Friends of the Nation