The dysfunctional and discriminatory nature of our educational system (Part 1)

No one denies the significant contribution of education in the development of individuals, societies, and nations. Even if we do not experience this fact in our own lives and societies, we do see them happening in other people’s lives and in some part of the world. Since the earlier centuries, we have seen that the love and practice of education have led to the development of the western developed countries and most of the emerging ones, especially in Asia and to some extent Southern America. Education has been evolving since the medieval period, through the enlightenment era, the industrial revolution, till this day of technology. All the nations that have succeeded in making progress in their economies have, as its philosophy, the upholding of education in national development. Those of us in the developing countries understand the growing importance of education in national development, but sadly we do not see the need for changing course.

We understand that education is the tool that will enable us to overcome the shackles of poverty, and also deliver us from slavery (economic and political). It is pathetic that after so many centuries, we have decided not to grow; and have thus accepted the slave mentality. We have not done anything so serious enough to ensure that our education system and practices ensure that we find solutions to the myriad of problems confronting us as a people. We have refused to understand and accept the fact that our education system has been discriminatory and dysfunctional. It has never worked, and if concrete steps are not taken to address the ills in our education system and practices, we will still be lagging even in this 21st century and beyond.

We should not deceive ourselves in believing that our education system has worked. If it has, where is the evidence? Nothing to show, folks! Maybe the evidence is the insults that we throw at people who dissent from our views; and this practice if not aborted will never let us see the light of day. Even in the United States of America and some developed countries in Europe such as Germany—countries where effective educational systems and practices have been the hub of their cosmic progress, both the government and civil society (especially educators and parents) are bemoaning the falling standards of education in those countries. After the second half of the 20th century, psychologists such as B. F. Skinner (Read beyond freedom and dignity, Skinner 1971) have been calling for the enhancement of education in America. And what we do in Ghana is sadly the politicization of every observation, even if it is meant for the good of the country.

If I should ask you the source of our educational stagnation or retrogression, I could guess your response—the government—and I agree with you 99%. Our governments have not done much to provide a workable education system that provides quality education to all pupils in the country. What they have succeeded in doing is to provide us with a system which is skewed towards only those pupils who are living in the cities and towns; which also excludes the poor. The probability of a child born into a village or living in a village becoming a failure or underachiever in the country is very high. That is the reason why I keep saying that it is a curse to be born into a village in the country, and in most developing countries. I have taught in the village before and thus know the plight of those chaps who receive their education there. Most of them, even at the junior high school, cannot read and write. Why? It is because they do not receive quality education at the preschool and primary level of education. I would explain why our education system has been discriminatory and dysfunctional.

Let us kick start with discrimination. So what is happening is that as a nation we are not fully utilizing the potentials of all the citizenry. The brilliant child born at Mile 18, Sudantoa, Aduntia, Odumto, Hyia Y3 Ya, all hamlets in the Amansie East district, where I once taught would continue to be on the farms of their parents, or at best learn a trade, whilst the nation would be losing out on their abilities as a result of our discriminatory educational system. Most of our presidents and ministers of state could have been the brilliant chaps in our villages and those from poor homes, who as a result of the messy system we have been practicing over the years have been reduced to petty trading and occupations which do not reflect their natural abilities. That is the sad reality; instead of our leaders working assiduously to improve our system, what they know best is to play politics about the duration of schooling, whilst at the same time send their children to the best schools in town or abroad. And we sit down and allow this evil to go on. Our education system has been discriminatory to the point that most children, especially those situated in the rural areas and from poor homes are in most cases left behind.

Apart from the discriminatory component of our educational system, one other problem that needs mentioning is our approach in getting the best from the system. By this, I am talking about the dysfunctional aspect of our educational system. We seem to forget that in order for us to get the best from our school system; we have to take a look at the developmental paradigm in educating our kids. We have over the years neglected elementary education, especially preschool and kindergarten (Thank God the current system has this as a priority). Our educators and governments easily forget that the survival of any worthy system is the foundation. Get a very formidable foundation, and you can be guaranteed with continuity and progress. When kids are not properly trained or taught at the preschool level, they struggle with their education for the rest of their lives. We can be assured that a child who cannot read before grade 1 or at grade 1 will struggle to hold their own at school as compared with those who can, unless they are provided with interventions.

That is why I find the call by president Mills to invest in the youth as a necessary, but not sufficient condition to provide us with the educational interventions that we need to transform our economy and the country. If the moneys meant to be used to invest in the youth are used on children, especially from preschool till primary 4, we would end up making significant gains, and also save several millions of hard cash which would have otherwise been used on the youth.

Yes, it is good to invest in the youth, but much better before they get to adolescence. You just visit any preschool or kindergarten in the country, especially the government ones (and those in the villages); and you would discover that we are our own failures. At that level, you will not see any seriousness or motivation on the part of the teachers (the reasons are obvious). Yet, that is the beginning of the child’s future. Any child that starts school is faced with one of two options: success or failure. Under the right environment, and with the best conditions, we can be sure of getting the best from the child. The second part which contains some suggestions for improvement follows shortly. God bless Ghana!!

Source: Kingsley Nyarko, PhD, Psychologist & Educational Consultant, IAF- Munich, (kingpong73@yahoo.com)