Le Système Educatif Du Ghana.

By Josephine Bonsu.

Ghana's minister of Education, Hon. Alex Tetteh Enyo.

Le système éducatif du Ghana est en trios niveaux. Se subdivise on 3 niveaux comme le primaire, le secondaire et le tertiaire.

J’aimerais vous parler des problèmes aux quels sont confrontes notre système éducatif. En effet, le conseil administratif à la tête de ce système est instable.

En plus, ce système a enclin a la paresse. L’effectif des professeurs est actuellement réduit. Les professeurs mal rémunérés sont actuellement de sérieux problèmes pécuniaires.

En fin, il n’y a pas assez de scolaires qui permettent d’apprendre comme des cartables, des ramassages scolaires, des livres, des cahiers, des stylos, et des crayons.

The writer is a student of Alliance du française and a coordinator of Orange Education Ghana.

KNOW AFRICA AND MAKE CHANGE FROM THE BUTTOM-UP.

As jubilant fists flew mid-air and piercing voices chanted slogans during TV Africa’s quiz-‘ know Africa’ a couple of weeks ago, my eyes could not help but swallow the memories of two most heated moments of tension that gulped down my heart during South Africa 2010; now FIFA’s barometer for hosting the world’s biggest football festival. The flash back were that of the former Brazilian soccer premier, Diego Armando Maradona, whose lips could not afford to be enslaved by the cauldron of sound from the vuvuzelas that saturated the stadium, nor did his legs believing in freedom of movement, pay homage to the lines which were only the preserve of the players. And of course what most Ghanaians would not like to hear; how Suarez, now a household name, took the ball out of the net and hindered us from getting into the semi – finals of the football competition. Sorry if I have inflicted wounds or happy tension (as my grandmother calls hypertension).

It was really exciting and fun to learn new things about our continent and cheer the contestants.The importance of pan-African education in grooming the next generation of African leaders cannot be downplayed at all. It has become imperative for the youth to gain adequate knowledge about Africa, by picking cues from yesterday in order to influence tomorrow. Educating the younger generation about Africa will help to shape the thinking of tomorrow’s leaders in order to create drastic change and impact.

A word for TV Africa                                                              

TV Africa certainly deserves a pat on their shoulder for such initiative which seeks to reflect on the history of our continent. However I believe that it will be very good if they also begin looking at how to groom leaders for the continent by tasking students to undertake projects and programs that will impact and influence their communities and rewarding their efforts. In this way, we will be exposing our future leaders to what goes into handling a real world business, project or program. Aside, the leaders tomorrow will gain knowledge about the problems that confront their country and continent in general, in order to start proffering solutions to such problems that confronts them. For as Albert Einstein said; “Imagination is more important than knowledge”

A word for the youth

“You have the power to hold your leaders accountable, and to build institutions that serve the people. You can serve in your communities, and harness your energy and education to create new wealth and build new connections to the world. You can conquer disease, end conflicts, and make change from the bottom up. You can do that. Yes you can. Because in this moment, history is on the move” (Obama -speech to Ghana’s parliament, Saturday July 11, 2009.)

The knowledge that we acquire about our continent certainly has the capacity to shape us into changing things in our country. Let us begin to take the future of our nation and demonstrate the spirit of dedication to public service which is unparallel in the history of our country-not even the 20th century youthful agitation for freedom. For as the above quotation suggests: “Yes we can”

The writer is the leader of Orange Education Ghana and a member of the African leaders’ project of the African leadership Academy based in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Learn more: oeghana.blogspot.com email:gyanenock@yahoo.co.uk

CAN MILLS’ PHOTO ON THE TEA CUP COUGH FRESH CEDIS FOR THE POOR SCHOOLS?

(By Enock Gyan)

If educations across Africa are to battle the lanky legged and unmusical Mr. Ghanaian education, it will certainly be an understatement to suppose that, the later will slash off by half, the record time of the world’s swiftest man, to cling the accolade of the third world’s most endangered education. Every Ghanaian today, will without an iota of doubt admit that the educational stature of Ghana is gradually becoming similar to her fragile political posture.

The rejected voice of the citizens

Although very intelligent people have added their voice to the current educational milieu, all seemed to have fallen on death ears. For in this country, God’s own powerful apostles of sagacity place no premium on the knowledge of experts. ‘To hell’ they will yell at any suggestion and see it as a political manipulation against their hard- worn thrones. To some, what Ghana needs is a strong and autonomous interference that will oversee her education. Education should be water-tight and free from political interference. The criticality of education to a country like Ghana lies in the fact that it is most important currency in our match to development. For as James Garfield (1880) puts it, “Next in importance to freedom and justice is popular education, without which neither freedom nor justice can be permanently maintained”. To others, the current educational crisis that Ghana finds herself is a pure reflection of Obama’s observation on his visit to this country last year. Hear him: “In the 21st century, capable, reliable and transparent institutions are the key to success - strong parliaments and honest police forces; independent judges and journalists; a vibrant private sector and civil society…Africa does not need strong men. Africa needs strong institutions”. Ghana needs strong and binding labor laws to prevent the kind of strikes we see now. If these institutions were robust enough, the president need not to be directly involved in most industrial muddles.

The poor schools

In this era where congestion has no place even in the tomb, students in our basic and senior high schools are facing the ordeal similar to that of our slave parents. Unquestionably, this malfeasance is traceable to the door steps of our political actors who truncate projects and policies as well as take hasty decisions without subjecting it to thorough research. Although the millennium development goals targets education for all by 2015, that does not guarantee that quality education be relegated to the background. Sadly, in Ghana, quality education has being given off. The building of temporary wooden structures not very decent to abolish shift system in basic public schools is in stark contrast to the 1966 UNESCO policy framework on education: ‘Classroom size should be such as to permit the teacher to give the pupils individual attention. School buildings should be safe and attractive ion overall design and functional in layout. The best thing to have done is to have employed gradualism while attending to the material needs of these students as well as the welfare of their teachers. The directive to convert assembly halls into classrooms is heart –aching and very unwelcomed. The hassle and tussle that we are subjecting our students to, is nothing than a denial of their right to education through such cruel punishment. Quality education is the most crucial.

It is very sad that, Ghana lacks a fair policy that will lead her into attaining a solution tailored education that will churn the human capital base that the country needs so critically at this point in history. No wonder Polytechnic teachers are still on strike as we drag their concerns left, right, centre and circumference. What Ghana can talk of is political parties’ policies laced with sinister ideological elements that sweep out a divergent political doctrine irrespective of its national gains. The absence of infrastructure at the senior high level and the resultant torturing of the academic calendar are traceable to the door steps of the leaders whom the people in this country entrusted their destinies. When the Committee of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) suggested that days for re-opening be extended, it became another trouble. But now we can all see for ourselves the current problem on our educational front. Even the person whose ears are so allergic to the educational swing can testify of the pressure and cruelty parents and their wards are being subjected to. This is exactly, the bitter bile in our democratic soup which we all need to fight against collectively, as a people. Ask the minister of Education whether there is no problem, and the answer will be in the affirmative. This is what makes me sick. When will our leaders be honest and say things just like they are?

Mills on the tea cup

In the midst of our current woes, arises the directive from the guards of our purse to share free cups with the embossed image of the president to pupils in the primary schools at such a critical point in the life of our education. This met different reactions. To some, the intent of the project is problematic- to make students know who their president is, although there is other cost effective methods of impacting such knowledge. To others it is a subliminal campaign strategy for the ruling government, by using the psychological and public relation weapon of transference to stimulate sympathy for the president in the next general election in 2012. To me it that simple question for the court of public opinion: ‘Can Mills’ photo on the tea cup cough fresh cedis for the poor schools?’

The writer is the leader of Orange Education Ghana and a member of the African leaders’ project of the African leadership Academy based in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Learn more: oeghana.blogspot.com email:gyanenock@yahoo.co.uk

In Loving Memory Of The Storm, The Swing, Her Love And Touch.

     By Enock Gyan                                                        

 

The merciless storm-“our ‘zingili’ has fly”

Teachers-our pride

“The wind whistles by
Whilst trees bend to let us pass
Clothes were like tattered flags
Flying off
To expose dangling breast...”

(Excerpt from David Rubadiri’s “African thunderstorm”)

David Rubadiri’s “African Thunderstorm” was my favourite poem as a student in Wesley Grammar School for two funny reasons: First, its simple but energetic rhythm reminds me of a simple but energetic friend of mine at Tefle in the Volta region. At the river side, my friend, Agbesi was simply merciless to a tilapia that shook briskly in the young fisherman’s net as no gains were made as far as the little creature’s freedom was concerned. The wagging and jiggling of the fish even placed more smiles on the face of Agbesi as he wrapped his tiny but energetic limbs around the net. Beaming with smiles, both of us set off for the house as we grilled our catch and matched it perfectly with “Akple” and hot pepper.Poor fish!

The second reason is that the poem which recounts the ferocity of a storm on innocent victims reminds me of how another friend of mine, Oswald, turned a classroom scene within a twinkle of an eye into that of a theatre where Efo Kojo Mawugbe’s “Aluta Continua” is being staged, or if you like, into a scene almost like that of a market day at Mallam Atta in Accra Newtown. In 1998 while I was about to enter class three, our school (Abeka “4” Primary) was rocked by a storm which ripped off the roofing sheets. As efforts were underway to secure for us a temporal place, we (Oswald and I) visited Eugene (my big brother) in his school. Upon arrival, we met a teacher in Eugene's class who asked why we were not in school at that time of the day. Quickly, Oswald managed to respond rather loudly, which in my candid opinion deserves an arrest for messing up the Queen's language. Hear him: 'Please madam our “zingili” (to wit roofing sheet in Ga language) has fly’. The class which was once quiet suddenly begun to laugh out their heads off amidst cheers and jeers at Oswald, who ignorant of the atrocity he had committed against the English language, beamed with smile and confident- loving eyes. Although the teacher also had his share of hilarity, he was quick to put Oswald on the right path. And ever since then, any time Eugene's friends met him; 'our “zingili” has fly’ never escaped their lips.

A swing-life could not afford to trot on the spot

After the “Zebra and Cobra” rains that sent the roofing sheets of my school jump from its place of abode like a caged bird that had been released, the school authorities decided that we join the various schools on the cluster (I speak of the Fadama cluster of schools) as the safest net to pitch in order to save us from trailing behind our colleagues. And the only way such an arrangement was going to succeed was for us to join our sister schools in small sizes. It was here that the union which was formed since class one peeled off like a corroded metal. The ties of friendship had no say in the court of my Class Teacher. I was posted to Abeka “2” primary school and my response was a sad gripped “Yes Madam”.To borrow the popular Legon jargon,I went to perch. But it was in my new school that I discovered a gem who transformed my life, the one who changed the average boy to become an excellent student with county miles ahead of his colleagues whom he once trailed behind in class.

Her love and touch

I speak of a woman who changed my life around. I speak of Ms Owusu Ansah the class three teacher whose class my self and a handful of colleagues were asked to perch as we waited the home-coming of the roof in exile. Her love towards the us (‘ the refugee pupils’) was simply peerless. She treated us like one of her own and in my own tinted lenses, loved us even the more. She treated us like orphans who needed more love than the kids whose parents were around. Her correction of our wrongs was clothed in love. Her word of encouragement was that we could make it no matter the odds that stirred us in the face. My relationship with her went beyond the four corners of the classroom as she got to know more about my family and forged a very strong relationship with my mother. She told her of what I needed and even helped my parents out when they lacked the financial backbone. I will ever remain forever grateful of the pioneer of my academic excellence. It was in her class that I began to put up sterling performance and found myself among the ivory tower of young scholars who represented their school in quiz competitions and debate. I am not in the position to decipher how magical and charming her treatment came about. But simply put, her contribution to my academic, moral and social life, is too voluminous for this paper or my tongue to impregnate.

So…

I believe that there are countless Ms.Owusu Ansah’s who have created impact in the life of many people worldwide. As we celebrate our teachers, I employ every person under the sun whose life has being impacted by a teacher to say a prayer for these unique assets of humanity and if possible, present a gift to a dear teacher. I also appeal humbly to the government, to strenghten their efforts to better the lives of our teachers. For as this year’s theme for the world teachers day goes: “Recovery begins with teachers”.I say ‘Ayekoo’ to all teachers and a zillion thank you for their love and touch.

 (http://news.myjoyonline.com/features/201010/53452.asp)

The writer is the leader of orange education Ghana.

IN SUPPORT OF THE NEW VICE CHANCELLOR

Prof.Haruna Yakubu-New UDS Vice Chancellor

(By Enock Gyan)

The current brand of democracy transcending the African landscape bores ample credence to the fact that there is no enough organic connection between the western democratic ideal and the cultural heritage of the African people. The assertion by Dr.Dzisah (2009) that Africa can not transport democratic seeds from the capitalist gardens of Paris, London and Washington and expect it to blossom therefore holds water. From his own angle, Awoonor (1990) believes that Africa’s democracy is on a life support since it lacks the communitarian principle of consultation and shared values.

Cultural, sociological and historical elements aside, democracy in Africa today lacks the Jefferson oxygen; the vibrant information tool of successful democracies across the globe. With more than 40% of her populace being illiterates, the western apparel of hippopotamus coinages and flamboyant language in the life of a toddling democracy is no less than simply a Trojan horse. The absence of telepathy between the African factor and the western concept has a semblance in the educational fabric. 

The tag ‘brain drain’ is more of a cliché today than a concern. With young African scholars pouring onto the western front, the mal-nutritional intellectual front raises eye brows. Just as the saying goes; ‘prevention is better than cure’, It is imperative that we diagnose the root cause of this phenomenon than find solutions to it as it keeps ascending to unimaginable proportions. It is against this backdrop that I find the words of the new vice chancellor of the University for Development studies ProfessorbHaruna Yakubu, as very timely. His promise to transmogrify the university into a more practical centre is worth it.

Education in Ghana is a paradox of ‘hyped-certificates’ in the midst of ignorance. The absence of practical concepts makes both teaching and learning very cumbersome. It either out-stretches the curriculum or down plays it.

Again, it is when we have practical strings attached to the theoretical knowledge that we can be able to churn out useful talent. The skimpy educational set has resulted in under-developed professionals in most of our tertiary institutions. No wonder more graduates always perform below the expectation of their employers. But what else can we expect? One will certainly dance in a style reflective of the tune of the drum beat.

The country has certainly come very far when it comes to educational matters. But we certainly must strive to greater heights, since the grass hopper must not be too quick to congratulate itself until the fire storm dies out. It is about time we pay careful attention to education in this country. It is the last best hope for a country which finds her self in a world where knowledge governs ignorance.

At this point in our country’s history, it is more than necessary that we garnish our education with a more world class outlook. In this regard, we cannot afford to repeat the mistake of the democratic experiment. Our style of education must assume the pan African posture. The western style of education must go through some genetic engineering to assume a more Ghanaian context. This is the time to position ourselves to groom scholars for national, continental and global excellence. I wish the Professor a successful term of office.

In God we trust!

The writer is the leader of Orange Education Ghana and a member of the African leaders’ project of the African leadership Academy based in Johannesburg, South Africa.

 Oeghana.blogspot.com/gyanenock@yahoo.co.uk

TODAY’S EDUCATION; WHO CARES?

(By Enock Gyan)
Anytime I reflect on how education is being suffocated in this country, the sorrow that stabs my soul is too cadaverous for pen or tongue to tell. I always feel very embarrassed when I consider how our leaders, the media and corporate bodies show less concern about education although they tout their commitment with their lips.

Today in Ghana, entertainment has virtually taken over education. It has become very difficult if not impossible for educational programmes like the brilliant Math and science Quiz, Scripps spelling Bee, and debates etc to be consistent due to the unavailability of sponsors notwithstanding the low priming from the inky fraternity (a.k.a the press).The sponsors that flood entertainment events is in stark contrast to what pertains with educational programmes. If we claim that education holds the key to our future as a nation then am afraid to say that our thinking is a mirage that will never come to fruition.

Our failure to invest in education as a people poses great danger to all aspects of our national life since in our world today, knowledge is what governs ignorance. According to Dr.Ben Carson; the worlds best neurosurgeon in his book gifted hands opines that, it is common sense for us to realize that depending on how we brand and reward education or entertainment will inform the choice of our young people. His words are more than relevant in our world today. America is a suitable case in point. The educational fabric as of now has being ripped the shred. SAT scores continue to drop so low in American public schools year by year; and America is now trailing some third world countries in Math and science by a county miles. The much emphasis of America on recruiting foreign students is as a result of its crippling intellectual front with young American students showing preference for entertainment to education. No wonder brain drain spans on. Indeed it is certainly not an understatement to say that more of the young people in Ghana today are showing less concern for education-a replica of the American woe!

Many young people today measure the dividends of education as incomparable to that of entertainment.
Academic grooming aside, it is critical that we consider the kind of values that we pass across to the next generation who will hold the fort in the absence of the present generation. The sexually explicit materials that keep rolling on our screens enforce the message of rape and abuse. The throwing away of our values and social principles as a people shows how we as a people are gradually ripping off our time tested values. Morality today has become a sick joke and decency has being thrown to the dogs. The media hype nakedness and our political leaders nod to the jiggling tunes of nudity and feast on the waggling bodies of half-naked women in the name of a contest which signals right but points left. Posterity will certainly judge us.

It is about time Ghana and Africa in general pursue a pan-African form of education which recognizes our values and principles. We need to be aware of how a cabal of self seeking crooks in this country and outside seeks to destroy our education and orientation as a people. I am not washing off entertainment but am calling for the pursuance of holistic education above entertainment since that is what we need most as a people. The time has come to promote sound education. We must be prepared to shape the future of our youth by emphasizing on leadership training, entrepreneurial skills and commitment to public service. I appeal to corporate bodies, the government, the media and every Ghanaian citizen to sacrifice for the future. Let’s live beyond today.
In God we trust.

The writer is the leader of Orange Education Ghana and a member of the African leaders’ project of the African leadership Academy based in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Oeghana.blogspot.com/gyanenock@yahoo.co.uk

Towards a power house for national excellence