Part 2
The inequality in Education, the bedrock of a solid foundation continues with the lack of wider perspectives.
Over the decades various Governments in Ghana have failed Ghanaian child (ren) and young people. The late President Kwame Nkrumah saw the benefits of what education brought to the individual. Late President Nkrumah just like President Obama both escaped from the poverty through their education. The biographies of these two people are very inspirational for any youth with a vision to transform.
How could any Education Minister and her deputy close their eyes to the plight of what these vulnerable, disadvantaged children and teachers’ presents to them each day? How could they both walk into their office drive in their fully air-conditioned four by four vehicles and expect vulnerable children and their teachers to be suffering silently each day each week and each hour?
How could those children identified by the former Minister of Education back in 2011 be expected to pass their basic exams if the current Minister failed to address their plight? How can the practice of Under The Tree form of education be allowed to continue in our present day Ghana? Is this form of education not denying children their right of being educated in purposeful classrooms with playgrounds? Is this not a form of child neglect on the part of the Government in not recognising and acknowledging the plight of these vulnerable children? Have both the Minister of Education and her deputy checked the five categories of Child Protection and acknowledged that they are not encouraging the neglect of the vulnerable? Why is Parliament not referring back to 2011 and question the ruling Party in Parliament as to what they have done so far to eradicate Under The Tree education which was identified back in 2011 by the former Minister of Education and why this practice is allowed to continue?
Just because an individual is comfortable does not mean we should allow vulnerable disadvantaged children to suffer, miss out on their education and more significantly potential opportunity in later life?
Do all our institutions in Ghana abide by Child Protection policy and go on annual training or updates to ensure that every school is aware of the five categories of the Child Protection policies? By this I mean churches, Mosques, schools, Police, Army, etc.
If Parliament is aware of the four categories of safeguarding of children entails then they would have appreciated the following:
? Educating children under the tree falls under the Child Protection category of neglect. The UNICEF or Human rights breakdown show the impact as a result of the negligence of a Government when it fails to provide a safe environment for children to learn. ? Lack of strict child protection policy has left many children to be easily sexually abused by some male teachers, and some members of the community. This is still going on year on year. ? Physical abuse of children by some teachers who (physically abuse children in the form severe punishment. Children are not taught in a creative way to engage them to seek the challenge of learning environment. ? Emotional abuse of children by denying disadvantaged children who feel vulnerable to have low self-esteem and self-worth by attending under the tree form of education in some cases with no chairs and tables and no creational activities and purposeful playground to play. During the heavy raining season these children miss out on school, which is not a fault of their own.
These children suffer in silence because their parents are not empowered to check the UN Treaty and others to fight for them. Instead they continue to remain voiceless and helpless to defend and stop such practice across the country in deprived rural areas. The practice goes on. In the mean time those in top offices whose responsibility is to address these inequalities turn a blind eye because those children are not theirs.
Why is the Education Ministry so cold in allowing these powerless and voiceless children suffer? Often these children classified as under class and looked down upon in this our adult controlled selfish environment of ours? Yet, come Sunday these top people go to Church and present themselves as a practicing Christians. Are we a nation who really cares about the younger generation?
When will Ghana have school governors, City mayors and community leaders who can challenge and hold Government Ministers to account?
Ghana’s educational system has still not adopted the unannounced school inspection visits? Are we using the new training currently adopted in the Europe for example the Raise online (this is an online form of teacher updating training) which helps teachers to update themselves to help pupils to attain and achieve their full potential in life? Is there any way that we could also invest into this training to improve the educational standards for teachers? Our teachers are failing our children and there seems to be no targets for them to work towards each term thus allowing them to be creative in the process? The quality of teaching, leadership and management as to how we curriculum deliver outcomes or whether children’s behaviour and safety show value added results are not leading to expectations. As a result many vulnerable children are often not even ready when it comes to basic examinations and are continuously failing this examination. Why are teachers not also so challenging? This may be due to lack of development in our systems for performance management for teachers every years and personal development plans, which is preventing this growth. Where are we at in the of the performance management for teachers in nursery / primary schools? Is this not a worry for the Education Ministry?
Indeed, the Minister of Education may or not be working towards in ensuring that issues already identified by the former Minister of Education are addressed before any new priorities are set.
I will continue to share my concerns for the vulnerable, voiceless and defenceless children, their families and young people in Ghana. They are not just a figure of 800 orphanage children as stated in the New Budget Statement.