How Ghana Descended to the Bottom of Global Education

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JKK 10 years ago

The OECD report did not say or show that Ghana is at the bottom of global education.

I wish people will stop saying such things. You don't need a degree in Statistics to see that the report makes no such claim. The report ...
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The OECD report did not say or show that Ghana is at the bottom of global education.

I wish people will stop saying such things. You don't need a degree in Statistics to see that the report makes no such claim. The report did not say the 76 items in the sample is a representative sample of the world's 200 or so countries in which we came bottom. Indeed, Ghana and the other non-OECD countries were included for comparative purposes to make a point about the relationship between quality of lower level schools and country development. The report can even be interpreted as showing Ghana may be one of the better achievers in Africa.

We are at the bottom of the countries in the OECD study. That is NOT THE SAME THING as we are at the bottom globally. The report did not also say our schools were better in a time past but we have now gone backwards.

Our schools need lots of improvement and we should discuss that as a matter of urgency BUT NOT because some study says we are last in the world. The sample could as well have included a few countries that are behind us which would still not mean our schools will not need improvement.

Let's make the correct analysis from a study. Then we may be making the correct suggestions. We need to improve our schools because we need good schools for our development, not because we need to be above some countries in a ranking of samples in which we find ourselves! Nigeria is not in the sample but that does not mean they have no need to improve their schools!
Olu 10 years ago

You are not serious. You did not refute the truth but defend GHANA bad education system with technicality. What are graduate of say a jss or SSS or legon compared to their counterpart elsewhere? if you were to employ them wh ...
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You are not serious. You did not refute the truth but defend GHANA bad education system with technicality. What are graduate of say a jss or SSS or legon compared to their counterpart elsewhere? if you were to employ them who will you choose? That's the essence of this argument not technical terms

Let's
JKK 10 years ago

Olu, read my post carefully. I am not saying that Ghana's education system is good and should be defended against the OECD study. For all I know, Ghana may be at the bottom of global education. My point is that the OECD study ...
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Olu, read my post carefully. I am not saying that Ghana's education system is good and should be defended against the OECD study. For all I know, Ghana may be at the bottom of global education. My point is that the OECD study did NOT come to that conclusion. That fact, even if it is true, should not be attributed to the OECD study.

SAS is free to argue that our education system is at the bottom in the world but he should express that as his personal opinion, not as a fact revealed by the OECD study! That is SAS's opinion (and SAS may be right) but that is not the opinion of the OECD report!
Joe Turkey 10 years ago

Statistics also has something in the syllabus called "inference." This is - probably - something you missed in SSS. One does not have to wait for OECD to do that inference for us, and their study was not aimed at drawing that ...
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Statistics also has something in the syllabus called "inference." This is - probably - something you missed in SSS. One does not have to wait for OECD to do that inference for us, and their study was not aimed at drawing that conclusion. We have the data from OECD and we can draw our own conclusions. And no matter how you look at it, Ghana's educational structure is horrible - very horrible. This is the problem at the heart of the discussion. Clone your statistic and logic.
JKK 10 years ago

You write that from the OECD statistics we can infer that Ghana's educational structure is horrible - very horrible. Yes, I agree. But you cannot infer from the OECD study that we are at the very bottom of the global pack(?). ...
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You write that from the OECD statistics we can infer that Ghana's educational structure is horrible - very horrible. Yes, I agree. But you cannot infer from the OECD study that we are at the very bottom of the global pack(?). That is the impression SAS' title and first paragraph give and that is what I am saying is incorrect. SAS should've been more careful (circumspect?) in expressing himself to give the accurate picture.

The OECD report reminds us (as if we did not know) of the sorry state of our educational system compared with those of other countries. But the report did not say that we are last of all countries in the world!
cano 10 years ago

A good piece Doc, however, in reference to your second paragraph, I want to state emphatically that the curriculum we have in Ghana is teacher centred.It is not student centred. Teachers come and teach whiles students do litt ...
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A good piece Doc, however, in reference to your second paragraph, I want to state emphatically that the curriculum we have in Ghana is teacher centred.It is not student centred. Teachers come and teach whiles students do little in class. It is the opposite in most countries.
kojo nzo ekangaki 10 years ago

Dont be so naive,with its76th position,Ghana cant be de last since de world has over 220 countries,again.note all Rawlings daughters attended Wesley Girls,Cape Coast...

Dont be so naive,with its76th position,Ghana cant be de last since de world has over 220 countries,again.note all Rawlings daughters attended Wesley Girls,Cape Coast...
obroni 10 years ago

The only reason is that Ghana's education system is completely outdated. Based solely on knowledge without concentrating on understanding. About the teachers, who in Ghana follows his dreams and loves his job?

The only reason is that Ghana's education system is completely outdated. Based solely on knowledge without concentrating on understanding. About the teachers, who in Ghana follows his dreams and loves his job?
obroni 10 years ago

The only reason is that Ghana's education system is completely outdated. Based solely on knowledge without concentrating on understanding. About the teachers, who in Ghana follows his dreams and loves his job?

The only reason is that Ghana's education system is completely outdated. Based solely on knowledge without concentrating on understanding. About the teachers, who in Ghana follows his dreams and loves his job?
PROFESSOR ASHAWO!! 10 years ago

NONSENSE

NONSENSE

Olu 10 years ago

Doc,

You have spoken well. Ghana education is even worse than you put it. Cheating is now common practice at the universities so what students will such produce?

There is no surprise why graduates are interested nothing ...
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Doc,

You have spoken well. Ghana education is even worse than you put it. Cheating is now common practice at the universities so what students will such produce?

There is no surprise why graduates are interested nothing worthy but positions that will enable them to steal from their employer. We have a huge problem and if we don't reverse it, we will find this nation in a total mess and any decent Ghanaian will have no choice but to run away anywhere.
HANS 10 years ago

IT NEVER DAWNED ON US THAT ONE DAY,NKRUMAH'S GHANA WILL FIND HERSELF ON THE LOWEST RUNG IN MATH & SCIENCE. THIS RESULT IS AN INDICATION OF THE DOWNWARD SLIDE OF GHANA IN EVERY SPHERE OF NATIONAL LIFE SINCE 1966.THE MEMBERS OF ...
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IT NEVER DAWNED ON US THAT ONE DAY,NKRUMAH'S GHANA WILL FIND HERSELF ON THE LOWEST RUNG IN MATH & SCIENCE. THIS RESULT IS AN INDICATION OF THE DOWNWARD SLIDE OF GHANA IN EVERY SPHERE OF NATIONAL LIFE SINCE 1966.THE MEMBERS OF NPP WHO TOOK PART IN SELLING GHANA TO THEIR FOREIGN CONSPIRATORS SHOULD BOW DOWN THEIR HEADS IN SHAME.GHANA IS NOW A GLOBAL LAUGHING STOCK.
EDUARDO DOMINGO 10 years ago

WHEN YOU PLAY YOUR POLITICS KEEP YOUR HEADS FOCUS ON THE TRUTH, EVEN IF ANY ONE FROM OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY THINKS THAT 70 IS THE LAST OUT OF MORE THAN 200 CAN'T YOU USE YOUR HEADS?

WHEN YOU PLAY YOUR POLITICS KEEP YOUR HEADS FOCUS ON THE TRUTH, EVEN IF ANY ONE FROM OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY THINKS THAT 70 IS THE LAST OUT OF MORE THAN 200 CAN'T YOU USE YOUR HEADS?
logic 10 years ago

its funny how Ghanaians have taken this....there are over 200 countries in the world and ghana is 76th by whatever standard or criteria....its nt as bad as people are painting it. Ghana education however is in bad shape, more ...
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its funny how Ghanaians have taken this....there are over 200 countries in the world and ghana is 76th by whatever standard or criteria....its nt as bad as people are painting it. Ghana education however is in bad shape, more theoritical than practocal and improper structures.
Emelia Tawiah. 10 years ago

Indeed,everything u r saying is trur,even common teaching materials for teaching at de basic level u can't get n how do we compare ourselves to de top educationist.These country is destoryed totally b'cos it future is been de ...
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Indeed,everything u r saying is trur,even common teaching materials for teaching at de basic level u can't get n how do we compare ourselves to de top educationist.These country is destoryed totally b'cos it future is been destoryed by our leaders who think abt themselves n their family n not Ghana as a whole.Is only God dat wil pity us n grant us grace as He did with Iseral.
Alfred Kofi 10 years ago

Come down and help. But i don't get it Ghana is among the best so why all this? You praised Kufour and condemned Rawlings meanwhile the ranking was a fifteen year ranking so Kufour should also be condemned. Use your title wel ...
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Come down and help. But i don't get it Ghana is among the best so why all this? You praised Kufour and condemned Rawlings meanwhile the ranking was a fifteen year ranking so Kufour should also be condemned. Use your title well not for mischief.
The mask 10 years ago

Reports say that over the years the Ministry of education directive to medical schools to cease holding private classes has been flouted by the KATH section of SMS-KNUST

Reports say that over the years the Ministry of education directive to medical schools to cease holding private classes has been flouted by the KATH section of SMS-KNUST
dan 10 years ago

why are we always quick to defend the indefensible. even if the report is nothing to go by, why not take a cursory look at past reports on education in Africa and the latest rankings of best universities in Africa. Ghana stil ...
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why are we always quick to defend the indefensible. even if the report is nothing to go by, why not take a cursory look at past reports on education in Africa and the latest rankings of best universities in Africa. Ghana still doesn't come near some of the poor countries. i did religions at the university, but till date, i havent found any visiting institution offering funding for religions. its always banking, maths, econs, law and the rest. i just cant understand
back door director 10 years ago

No wonder you are a product of that failed system. All talk but no substance

No wonder you are a product of that failed system. All talk but no substance
Leo R. Sam 10 years ago

Congratulations to Dr. Samuel Adjei Sarfo for this highly thought-provoking article.
First of all Ghanaians must learn to accept the fact that THE TEACHING PROFESSION COUNTS. The profession needs some of the best students i ...
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Congratulations to Dr. Samuel Adjei Sarfo for this highly thought-provoking article.
First of all Ghanaians must learn to accept the fact that THE TEACHING PROFESSION COUNTS. The profession needs some of the best students in the nation. Conditions must be created to encourage some of the best brains in the country to stay in the classroom as teachers.
The dedicated missionaries who established the colonial excellent educational system in the Gold Coast were NOT amateur teachers.
The Teaching Profession in Ghana MUST be raised to a respectable level to attract some of our best students to stay in the classroom. It is also important to put more emphasis on well-trained and highly qualified Math, Science and Computer-literate teachers.
lsam@interbaun.com

Kwaku Spider 10 years ago

Isn't it ironic that Ghana, the most religious country in the world is the least educated? Not to mention the obvious economic hardship. Whereas Chinese who are atheists (don't believe in god) are smarter and more successful? ...
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Isn't it ironic that Ghana, the most religious country in the world is the least educated? Not to mention the obvious economic hardship. Whereas Chinese who are atheists (don't believe in god) are smarter and more successful?

Dare I say that the key to our liberation isn't the construction or attendance to more churches. We will only be free when we become more educated.

Here are some suggestions
Let's turn all these churches into education and research facilities when they're not in use.

instead of showin porn (telenovella) on our tvs, let's make more documentaries to educate ourselves. Do u think whites sit down to watch black telenovella?

Let's learn chinese symbols in addition to the alphabet (that's why chinese are so smart!!!)

Let's learn the truth about our beliefe systems instead of followin blindly, and learn about our true african past which has been wiped away from us.

knowlede is power, so know the truth and it will set you free.

Love you all
Kwapps 10 years ago

...but please replace your 'Spider' with 'Ananse' to set the tone properly.

I have advocated on this platform and elsewhere the very points raised by you. In addition I suggest we do away with religion altogether and turn ...
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...but please replace your 'Spider' with 'Ananse' to set the tone properly.

I have advocated on this platform and elsewhere the very points raised by you. In addition I suggest we do away with religion altogether and turn churches and mosques into research centres and factories!

We should all speak one language and develop it to the point where we have a comparable word to every English word and more!

All Caucasian names should be abolished, including those derived from the religions. There is something fundamentally wrong with you if you preserve someone else's culture to the detriment of yours - no other country does this apart from Africans!

Etc etc...
Pimpinese 10 years ago

Does this also mean that the best prostitutes you know in Texas got more skilz than the best ones in Ghana?

Does this also mean that the best prostitutes you know in Texas got more skilz than the best ones in Ghana?
Nana Borrow Dumsor 1 10 years ago

If all countries in the world had been graded, Ghana will still be at the last position. If a circuit supervisor tells a teacher to use his own money to buy a lesson note then what do you expect?

If all countries in the world had been graded, Ghana will still be at the last position. If a circuit supervisor tells a teacher to use his own money to buy a lesson note then what do you expect?
komme 10 years ago

Dr Safo I presume you have not seen or read the interim report that put Ghana at number 76 which is the bottom of the pack but you have gone ahead to criticise our system, I think it is very sad you call yourself a doctor but ...
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Dr Safo I presume you have not seen or read the interim report that put Ghana at number 76 which is the bottom of the pack but you have gone ahead to criticise our system, I think it is very sad you call yourself a doctor but all that you can do is to go by media frenzy in commenting on such issues. The only thing i suggest to you is to look for the interim report and atleast look at the countries involved in the list of 76, you will say Ghana has not done bad after all. Let me give you a little hint about the report - there are only 5 african countries in the 76 countries involved and south africa is at 75th and Ghana at the bottom. the others include Botswana, Morroco and Tunsia. If Ghana can be within the top 5 in africa when it comes to maths and science of 15 year olds then I think we have made a tremendous leap forward. i will urge you as a critical thinker to next time read the report yourself before making any comment.
Avosoglu 10 years ago

So you are happy! You are among those people in Ghana who do not want the country to progress. You these NDC people you always want to insult anybody who want the best for the country. No wonder most of the NDC people are fro ...
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So you are happy! You are among those people in Ghana who do not want the country to progress. You these NDC people you always want to insult anybody who want the best for the country. No wonder most of the NDC people are from outskirt of Ghana. If I happened to be the Ga Mantse or the Asantehene I will Sack of you guys to go to your region and suffer there. Bush People always support NDC, that makes me hate NDC. Siaaaa
Miller 10 years ago

How can the director general of education think strict monitoring would work when most teachers are waiting for their salary arrears to be paid for over a year,and when unqualified SHS graduates have been recruited as pupil t ...
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How can the director general of education think strict monitoring would work when most teachers are waiting for their salary arrears to be paid for over a year,and when unqualified SHS graduates have been recruited as pupil teachers to pollute the minds of children then you compare private to public basic schools, where the later is full of incompetent professionals and first is full of competent SHS graduates
Kwapps 10 years ago

You get results like this if a self-imposed leader like Rawlings toys with a country's educational system based on his beliefs. Could you imagine this man imposing a single uniform on all school children in the country! Which ...
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You get results like this if a self-imposed leader like Rawlings toys with a country's educational system based on his beliefs. Could you imagine this man imposing a single uniform on all school children in the country! Which country in the world did this, not even North Korea. At another point he introduced some silly thing called 'green book' based on what Gaddafi was doing in Libya, where did all this do for Ghana?

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How Ghana Descended to the Bottom of Global Education

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