A little about school in Ghana

The last few days we've learned a lot about school in Ghana, but I don't want to overwhelm the blog today with absolutely everything I've learned.  I do, however, want to share just a few observations upon our visit today to the public junior high school, Abokobi Presbyterian.

Meeting with Teachers

Courtyard

Classroom buildings

Teacher collaboration space

The church-- all the school buildings are just behind it

The images one sees above may confirm the stereotyped image in our heads about what a school is like in Ghana.  While in fact there are many schools like this, there are also many schools with sound infrastructure and modern buildings.  I definitely don't want to create a single story about schools here in Ghana, based on these few pictures and videos.

We first were greeted by the Headmistress of the school and the head of the church.  Most public schools here in Ghana are historically founded by missions, and therefore carry the religious affiliation, however, their school is quite different than what we may think (by the American perspective), of what a religious institution would be like in Ghana.  Although a school may be Methodist, there are Muslim students that attend the school, as well as students that come from a blend of religious traditions or their indigenous religious beliefs.  Therefore, there is freedom and space to pray in whatever way suits one's particular belief system.  There is no religious instruction in the sense of "you must believe X," but rather, a more informative religious instruction on the foundations and principles of all the religions that make up Ghana.

My very first observation of the school campus was that the church was the only building that had solid infrastructure, and a sense of beauty.  The individual buildings and classrooms were very much not this way.  Many had wires and pieces of wood just hanging from the ceilings, waiting to fall.  However, again, I don't want to create the image that this means the school is unfit and the students are getting a bad education.  The kids seemed well fed, well groomed, and happy.

  I observed a French class.  The students stood as the teacher entered the room, and instruction was very teacher centered, with students just chorally repeating phrases and language.  There was time at the end for them to get to know me a little bit.  I introduced myself in Spanish, and they really enjoyed that.  We compared French and Spanish, and I taught them how to greet each other in Spanish.  It was evident, immediately, the difference in teaching styles in the US and Ghana, and the students were at first, uncomfortable.  It was odd to them that I taught so close to them, walking around them and even reaching out to shake their hand when practicing greetings.  But it was fun!  They seemed very reluctant to ask me questions, but eventually some students did.  They wanted to know the name of my town and high school, what currency we have in the United States, and if I was able to buy products from Ghana in my hometown.  It was exciting for me to tell them that yes, there is a store in the town where I teach called The Bridge, where I can buy hand made items from around the world.  And I happen to be wearing a bracelet I bought from the store which came from Ghana.   The Bridge is a fair trade store in Holland.

I really wanted to spend more time at the school, but it was just a short visit and tomorrow I'm heading off to the school where I will be placed for an entire week.  I just really love reaching out to people, especially young people, everywhere.  I'm not sure what it is, but being able to make bridges and unite cultures is very important to me.  I think it is the most important thing we can do to make a more peaceful world; to get to know, appreciate, and respect one another as humans, and work to create a human family, without feeling we all have to be and think, the same.

Videos of the French class:
Starting class (I missed the part where kids stand while their teacher enters the room)
Bit of French Instruction