Policies and Contradictions in the System
On paper, Ghana has a good system that appears to be determined to allow all of her citizens the chance to an education, no matter what their living situation or background is. Ghana has compulsory and free primary and junior education available throughout the country. For nine years total, six years of primary school and three years of junior high school, children theoretically have the (mandatory) opportunity to get a basic and vocational training. Ghana also has a pretty progressive program called the “National Service Scheme: Service to the Nation.” This National Service program requires all graduates of a University to volunteer for one year at a location that they are placed in by the government. This program was created to give new graduates experience before entering the workforce, allow them a living stipend so there is no additional cost to them as well as help serve some of the more rural and poor parts of Ghana. Many of the teachers at the primary school, junior secondary school, and secondary school in Helekpe were National Service volunteers.
Despite all of these good initiatives, I witnessed and experienced many flaws within the programs. The most confusing was a uniform requirement for primary and junior secondary school. Though the cost for one is very low in American terms at only about $14 for a full uniform which will last for about two years, the cost is much to high for many rural farming families with many children. Within the past year, the Ghanaian government has begun a uniform allocation program, bringing batches of uniforms to rural villages throughout Ghana. However, as Silas Sarfo, a Ghanaian writer for the news website “Ghana Web” writes, “According to the 2012 Budget, the government has allocated GH¢28,800,000 for school uniforms. While it is encouraging that this amount of money has been added to our nation's budget allocation for education, such great amounts of money should not be spent on non-essentials.” Why is it that the government requires uniforms for their free schools? I have not been able to find any reasoning or validation for this decision on any Ghanaian government website, or any other website for that matter. And as Sarfo brings up, it is wonderful that Ghana has put such an obvious and monetary emphasis on education through this allocation of funds.
Despite all of these good initiatives, I witnessed and experienced many flaws within the programs. The most confusing was a uniform requirement for primary and junior secondary school. Though the cost for one is very low in American terms at only about $14 for a full uniform which will last for about two years, the cost is much to high for many rural farming families with many children. Within the past year, the Ghanaian government has begun a uniform allocation program, bringing batches of uniforms to rural villages throughout Ghana. However, as Silas Sarfo, a Ghanaian writer for the news website “Ghana Web” writes, “According to the 2012 Budget, the government has allocated GH¢28,800,000 for school uniforms. While it is encouraging that this amount of money has been added to our nation's budget allocation for education, such great amounts of money should not be spent on non-essentials.” Why is it that the government requires uniforms for their free schools? I have not been able to find any reasoning or validation for this decision on any Ghanaian government website, or any other website for that matter. And as Sarfo brings up, it is wonderful that Ghana has put such an obvious and monetary emphasis on education through this allocation of funds.