I did look through the report when it was originally published on line, but tried unsuccessfully to retrieve it for Ghanaweb readers.
Fortunately, I contacted one of US-base ... read full comment
Good day.
The report is available on line.
I did look through the report when it was originally published on line, but tried unsuccessfully to retrieve it for Ghanaweb readers.
Fortunately, I contacted one of US-based educationist friends who sent me the link (I also discussed parts of the report with my some of my friends in the American educational system when the report came out; the summary which those two Ghanaweb columnists are generally correct and appropriate).
In fact I could easily have found it if I had tried hard enough.
Here is the link to the report (you should download and read it):
Please go though the report like I did and let me know what you think!
Thanks.
Dr Kwesi Sakyi 8 years ago
Thanks Francis for the useful link. I shall read and get back to you. Warm regards.
Thanks Francis for the useful link. I shall read and get back to you. Warm regards.
francis kwarteng 8 years ago
You are welcome Dr. Kwesi!
I enjoyed reading this essay because it has certain personalities some of my friends claimed not to have heard about.
They have since gone ahead to read about these personalities.
Thanks ... read full comment
You are welcome Dr. Kwesi!
I enjoyed reading this essay because it has certain personalities some of my friends claimed not to have heard about.
They have since gone ahead to read about these personalities.
Thanks for the update.
Tekonline.org 8 years ago
Francis, you should know the mathematical giant, Dr. Abbiw-Jackson (RIP).
And there are a few younger geniuses that Kwesi hasn't discovered yet.
Dr Francis Oduro comes to mind. An astrophysicist through and through.
Francis, you should know the mathematical giant, Dr. Abbiw-Jackson (RIP).
And there are a few younger geniuses that Kwesi hasn't discovered yet.
Dr Francis Oduro comes to mind. An astrophysicist through and through.
francis kwarteng 8 years ago
Yes,
I never knew Dr. Abbiw-Jackson personally (though I know about his professorship at KNUST/and his work with the Ghanaian government--I think the statistical department/Bank of Ghana, etc., I am not too sure.
Dr. A ... read full comment
Yes,
I never knew Dr. Abbiw-Jackson personally (though I know about his professorship at KNUST/and his work with the Ghanaian government--I think the statistical department/Bank of Ghana, etc., I am not too sure.
Dr. Abbiw-Jackson was not at UST when I began my program there.
But his daughter was my mathematics TA in first year. I think she has her doctorate now (in Maryland or so).
I believe Kwesi mentioned this last year. I also think the list is endless. Kwesi possibly can't mention them all! In fact there are so many, many great names out there.
That said, has Francis Oduro already received his doctorate yet (as is indicated in your comment)? Well there is another Oduro (Dr. F.T. Oduro, a paternal uncle) in the same mathematics department; did his doctorate under Prof. Acheampong, Legon). Dr. F.T. Oduro taught me classical mathematics among others.
Anyway thanks for sharing, Tekonline.org. I really enjoyed Kwesi's article. It brings back memories etc.
Have a great weekend.
Thanks.
Tekonline.org 8 years ago
Yes, that's him!!! Dr Francis T. Oduro
I've heard when as a freshman ("homo") at Augusco, he was once found drawing a cathode ray tube circuit on the black board by the night-study supervisor.
The guy understands thoro ... read full comment
Yes, that's him!!! Dr Francis T. Oduro
I've heard when as a freshman ("homo") at Augusco, he was once found drawing a cathode ray tube circuit on the black board by the night-study supervisor.
The guy understands thoroughly Einstein's work, and has been to astrophysics conferences at Trieste, Italy.
Great paternal Uncle to have!
Indeed, Kwesi's piece induced plenty of nostalgia. And many of the intellectual giants he cited, like Prof Dickson and Prof Abbiw-Jackson, were Winnebarians, like Kwesi!
francis kwarteng 8 years ago
Thanks Tekonline.org,
Yes, teaching is classical mathematics brings back memories of discussions on Einstein, David Hilbert, Poincare, Henrick Lorentz, etc.
In remember very those days that Dr. Opoku would refuse to ta ... read full comment
Thanks Tekonline.org,
Yes, teaching is classical mathematics brings back memories of discussions on Einstein, David Hilbert, Poincare, Henrick Lorentz, etc.
In remember very those days that Dr. Opoku would refuse to take a look at his notes to correct his mistakes on the backboard.
He would completely ignore the class and go back and forth with his proofs until he got them right. While doing this, he would keep changing his hands by placing a clenched fist under his jowl.
He got chalk dust under his jowls and cheeks most often. Yet he always got his proofs right. But the most painful part was when Prof. Acheampong refused to grant him his doctorate, at the same time his wife died and was "brutally" robbed by armed.
Granting him his PhD became a tug of war. Those of my mates who took their mathematics/statistics (economics) under Prof. Acheampong complained about how difficutlt it was to work with and under him (Prof. Acheampong).
The first time I met Prof. Acheampong was at my secondary during a Speech and Prize Giving Day. He was one of those who presented the prizes.
I was a kid at the time and did knew nothing about higher mathematics. Yet I am glad I met him. These men later influenced me in many postive ways.
I will try to do a piece on Dr. Oduro in the future.
Thanks for bringing this up. The memories. The nostalgia. Mathematics. Etc.
Those days, Tekonline.org. I really miss those days. Finally, Kwesi introduced me to some prominent Winneberians---mathematicians, engineers, physcists, etc. Kwesi is a modest guy, you know!
Tekonline.org, I have been visiting your website now and then and I think I like it. I have some questions for you but will bring them up later.
Thanks.
Tekonline.org 8 years ago
Dear Francis, all the things you said about your Uncle, especially the passing of the wife, confirms we are talking about the same person.
All little anecdote involving Dr Oduro. You would be amazed how intellectually-equi ... read full comment
Dear Francis, all the things you said about your Uncle, especially the passing of the wife, confirms we are talking about the same person.
All little anecdote involving Dr Oduro. You would be amazed how intellectually-equipped the US Immigration is at JFK. Once when Dr Oduro was attending a conference, he was asked just one question at the airport. When they saw he was a mathematics professor, the immigration officer asked him, "what was Fenmat's Last Theorem"!
Getting back to the education topic, I think in all fairness, the kids today face a tremendous amount of DISTRACTIONS. I really wonder how the great Ghanaian minds of the past would have fared if they had had to contend with the likes of Facebook, WhatsApp, SnapChat, Angry Birds, etc. Even when they obtain laptops, today's students tend to use the machines to watch DVDs, not about the String Theory but some tantalizing Nigerian movies.
Our great scholars of the past also had the luxury of being taught by first class expatriate tutors, many under the US Peace Corp program.
I owe my interest in Science to the great science tutors at Augusco, who were American clergymen (Brothers of the Holy Cross) with advanced degrees.
We diasporan should do all we can to beef up the resources available to Ghanaian students, sending them stimulating textbooks, and particularly, educational DVDs. One particular source of good quality DVDs is "The Great Courses" (www.TheGreatCourses.com), whose videos cover all disciplines and the instructions delivered by top-notch professors from elite Universities.
On the government's part, it should licence educational documentaries from BBC and NPR, broadcasting to the whole nation stimulating programs about science., technology, and medicine.
francis kwarteng 8 years ago
Dear Tekonline.org,
Oh yes, it is the same Dr. Oduro I believe we are talking about.
Thanks for the comments. I really enjoyed the one on my uncle and and Fermat's last theory. That question should properly have gone P ... read full comment
Dear Tekonline.org,
Oh yes, it is the same Dr. Oduro I believe we are talking about.
Thanks for the comments. I really enjoyed the one on my uncle and and Fermat's last theory. That question should properly have gone Prof. Owusu Ansah (if he were alive) or Dr. Isaac K. Dontwi.
I believe Fermat's last therorem has been solves. Well that aside, there were similar anecdotal stories about Prof. Allotey. Do you recall the round-about between the football park and Unity Hall?
We were told Prof. Allotey used to go round that round-about trying to prove that parralel lines intersect in space! Did you ever hear that anecdote?
At one poit, we were also told, he nearly got himself in an accident because he had chalk all over his windscreen/winshield. And there are those about Prof. Owusu and his use of that old car as opposed to the new one he bought for his wife...Hahahahaha.
Well I was taught by one expatriate in all my life in Ghana. He was a while male from Switzerland.
He taught me (and my mates) one major mathematics topic---mensuration, coordinate geometry, and transformations (enlargements, etc)...for a term.
Mr. Samuel Parry (Sam Pee), my headmaster at the time, was the head or chairman of an exchange program (Africa or West Africa) and broght him over to teach. The rest of my teachers were all Ghanaians.
I still remember one of my French teachers, a Ghanaian (he is here in Maryland now), who has never forgiven Sam Parry for packing him and other teachser into a couple of rooms, while giving the flat which he [my French teacher] and the others shared to the Swiss maths teacher alone.
My french teacher was and still is angry (after all this years) because he (and his colleagues) were grossly inconvenienced, mistreated, and disrespected for a course they knew Ghanaians have taught very well.
In other words, my French teacher believes Sam Pee should not have brought in a foreign teacher to teach a course Ghanaians equally taught well, to the extent that they had to be disrespected, mistreated, and incinvenienced because the presence of an expartriate teacher took away their comfort, respect, dignity, and convienience.
Well this is just by the way. My French teacher still complains about this whenever I talk on the phone. Having said that, let me just also say I love Democracy Now, WBAI (not functioning as it used to be), BBC and NPR. All four stations have expanded my horizon on several issues.
Recently a friend of mine, radiologist technologist, from New York took a picture with Amy Goodman (she went for an X-Ray at Manhattan-based hospital where my friend worked for an X-Ray), and sent me a copy.
My friend and I ha ve been discussing Democracy Now, Amy Goodman, Juan Gonzalez (her co-host) and the educational topics they discuss daily. Perhaps Democracy Now has added more to my store of general knowledge than any one single medium.
Terry Gross is my favorite on NPR. And Hugh Hamilton (Guyanese-American) used to be my favorite on WBAI. And then there are Discovery Channel, National Geographic Channel, CNN (African Voices), BBC (African Dream), etc., and their corresponding science programs.
Even the "science and technology" sections of newspapers such as The New Times has great information for readers. Huffington Post and others I have discussed in some of my articles can all help.
I will check out www.TheGreatCourses.com and see what is there. But I think there is a lot we can all do to help improve Ghanaian/African education.
Thanks.
Dr Kwesi Sakyi 8 years ago
There were the Abbiw Jacksons at UST, the Dickson brothers and their Reverend father, Prof B.A.Dadson, Prof Yarney Ewusi, Prof Acheampong, Ken Dadzie, Kwame Amamoo, Dr Alex Quaison Sackey, Prof Atta Annan Mensah, Brig Gen Nun ... read full comment
There were the Abbiw Jacksons at UST, the Dickson brothers and their Reverend father, Prof B.A.Dadson, Prof Yarney Ewusi, Prof Acheampong, Ken Dadzie, Kwame Amamoo, Dr Alex Quaison Sackey, Prof Atta Annan Mensah, Brig Gen Nunoo Mensah, Col Ghartey, Magnus Sampson etc
Leo R. Sam 8 years ago
Congratulations for this article. Keep on writing. Hopefully an influential person among the educational policy makers in Ghana will happen to read this article and be moved to take steps to improve the horrible state of aff ... read full comment
Congratulations for this article. Keep on writing. Hopefully an influential person among the educational policy makers in Ghana will happen to read this article and be moved to take steps to improve the horrible state of affairs in the public school system.
The great Ghanaian Educational philosopher, Dr. J. E. Kwegyir-Aggrey stated "... BY EDUCATION, I DO NOT MEAN SIMPLY LEARNING. I MEAN THE TRAINING IN MIND, IN MORALS,IN HAND THAT HELPS TO MAKE ONE SOCIALLY EFFICIENT. NOT JUST THE THREE R'S, BUT THE THREE H'S: THE HEAD,THE HEART AND THE HAND"
Dr. Kwegyir-Aggrey was one of the three major founders of Achimota School. The other two founders were Sir Gordon Guggisburg and Rev. Fraser.
Our educational policy makers need to study the philosophy of Dr. Kwegyir Aggrey to help improve the educational system in Ghana.
lsam@interbaun.com
Sampong 8 years ago
Kwesi Sakyi, don't you think your brain is only partially functioning?
Kwesi Sakyi, don't you think your brain is only partially functioning?
Akwasi 8 years ago
Dr. thanks for your write up. You are simply on point. But the problem is, they are not reading
Dr. thanks for your write up. You are simply on point. But the problem is, they are not reading
Akwasi 8 years ago
A certificate oriented education where everyone wants to get a qualification simply through route learning. Too much emphasis has been placed on paper and pen exams which assesses the cognitive aspect to the neglect of the he ... read full comment
A certificate oriented education where everyone wants to get a qualification simply through route learning. Too much emphasis has been placed on paper and pen exams which assesses the cognitive aspect to the neglect of the heart and hand. At the end we produce graduates with barely no skills...
Jato Kaleo 8 years ago
What is the difference between today's piece and the one posted here on June 30th?
I don't see much difference apart from beginning today's piece with a long list of Ghanaian achievers and making the entire article much lo ... read full comment
What is the difference between today's piece and the one posted here on June 30th?
I don't see much difference apart from beginning today's piece with a long list of Ghanaian achievers and making the entire article much longer than the previous one even though you describe the present piece as "this short write-up". But at more than 5000 words, you cannot describe this piece as short (this being ghanaweb) especially since you are not saying anything new from your previous article.
Those who have already read the previous piece don't have to read today's. It contains nothing new. Those who haven't read any of the pieces should rahter read the one on June 30th that he titled: "Ghana’s Educational System - Factional Elitism versus Functional Illiteracy, Fact or Fiction?". It is shorter and contains the same information. The additional info in today's piece is not worth the bother.
Kwesi is lucky that his townsman,Paa Kwesi Mintah, does not visit these pages anymore. I can only imagine him puncturing so many holes in the piece that a Swiss cheese could hold more water...
Mawuetornam Dugbazah 8 years ago
Dr. Sakyi:
Much too long an article.
Perhaps you should turn its relevant contents into a well substantiated steering document for a literacy initiative in Ghana. Next, document your literacy initiative findings, repli ... read full comment
Dr. Sakyi:
Much too long an article.
Perhaps you should turn its relevant contents into a well substantiated steering document for a literacy initiative in Ghana. Next, document your literacy initiative findings, replicate them and advise government. Thank you.
Dr Kwesi Sakyi 8 years ago
Thank you Jato Kaleo of former CPP Tallensi constituency and cabinet minister under Nkrumah's regime. The point is that the previous article had many editorial, grammatical, and substantive deficiences which were corrected in ... read full comment
Thank you Jato Kaleo of former CPP Tallensi constituency and cabinet minister under Nkrumah's regime. The point is that the previous article had many editorial, grammatical, and substantive deficiences which were corrected in this piece so that it is fit for purpose, in case it is taken up by some scholarly institutions. Besides, I wanted to substantiate it with facts and figures. I am passionate about this topic and I want as many people to read it, hence this repeat dose. Don't worry about the length of it because we were trained in that way. Besides, this is short by academic standards. I am much grateful for your rejoinder.
francis kwarteng 8 years ago
Dear Kaleo,
How are you?
Why didn't you point out some of the holes for us rather than waiting for Paa kwesi Mintah?
Well, some of my friends missed the first one and were glad when I pointed out this to them?
Th ... read full comment
Dear Kaleo,
How are you?
Why didn't you point out some of the holes for us rather than waiting for Paa kwesi Mintah?
Well, some of my friends missed the first one and were glad when I pointed out this to them?
They were just happy to read this since to them this contained more info than the previous one (they went back and read Kwesi's previous one).
Kaleo, did you read the entire OECD report yet? Are you going to review it for us on Ghanaweb? I look forward to reading your review of it for Ghanaweb!
Thanks.
Kwapong 8 years ago
Francis, do you always want to know better or who do you think you are?
Are you indirectly attacking Dr. Kwesi Sakyi or trying to tell him what to do? You are very pathetic!
Francis, do you always want to know better or who do you think you are?
Are you indirectly attacking Dr. Kwesi Sakyi or trying to tell him what to do? You are very pathetic!
francis kwarteng 8 years ago
Kwapong, INXS, or Jato Kaleo,
The OECD report was for you, Jato Kaleo, not for Kwesi Atta Sakyi.
The other day you Jato Kaleo were questioning the basis of an article (based on the OECD report) a duo wrote for Ghanaweb ... read full comment
Kwapong, INXS, or Jato Kaleo,
The OECD report was for you, Jato Kaleo, not for Kwesi Atta Sakyi.
The other day you Jato Kaleo were questioning the basis of an article (based on the OECD report) a duo wrote for Ghanaweb readers and I forwarded the link to you so that you could read it and know where the two authors were coming from.
And I simply wanted to know if you had read it, in which case I was expecting you (Jato Kaleo) to tell us where you think the duo got wrong.
THUS MY COMMENTS TITLED "Did You Read OECD report yet" WAS MEANT FOR YOU JATO KALEO AND NOT KWESI ATTA SAKYI. I SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED YOUR NAME, NOT KWESI ATTA SAKYI.
I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU ARE MAKING A BIG ISSUE OUT OF THIS. YOU ARE BEHAVING JUST LIKE PHILIP KOBINA BAIDOO, JR., THE CHRONIC LIAR AND FABRICATOR. DO YOU RECALL ACCUSING BAIDOO OF DISTORTING AND MISREPRESENTING YOUR POSITION? YOU ARE DOING THE SAME HERE.
THEN AGAIN WHERE DID I INDIRECTLY ATTACK OR TRY TO TELL HIM WHAT TO DO? TELL ME EXACTLY WHERE IN ANY OF MY COMMENTS HERE.
WRITERS GO TO EVERY LENGTH TO CONDUCT RESEARCH FOR THEIR PAPERS AND ALL YOU DO IS TO BE UNJUSTIFIABLY CRITICAL AND CYNICAL WITH THESE AUTHORS! THEIR ARTICLES ARE LONG; THEIR ARTICLES ARE THIS, THEIR ARTICLES ARE...WHO FORCES YOU TO READ THEM ANYWAY?
REMEMBER YOU HAVE BEEN DOING THE SAME TO ME! WHY DON'T YOU WRITE SHORT ARTICLES FOR US TO READ? DON'T YOU KNOW IT IS EASIER TO CRITIQUE THAN WRITE WITH THE KIND OF RESEARCH WE CONDUCT DAILY?
YOU JATO KALEO WERE CRITICIZING THE AUTHORS FOR PROBABLY NOT READING THE OECD REPORT FOR THE PIECE, FALSELY BELIEVING THAT THE REPORT WAS NOT AVAILABLE TO THE AUTHORS THOUGHT IT HAS BEEN ON THE INTERNET FOR SOME TIME NOW!
YET YOU DID NOT GIVE US ANY REASONS WHY YOU THOUGHT THE WRITERS MAY NOT HAVE READ THE OECD REPORT FOR THEIR GHANAWEB ARTICLE. THE SUBSTANCE OF MANY OF YOUR COMMENTS ON GHANAWEB IS ALWAYS LIKE THAT. WHY?
HERE IS MY QUESTION TO YOU: HAVE YOU READ THE ORIGINAL OECD REPORT? IF YOU HAVE, THEN BETTER TELL ME WHERE THE GHANAWEB AUTHORS WENT WRONG!
IN CASE YOU HAVE FORGOTTEN YOUR OWN COMMENTS, PLEASE BETTER GO BACK AND READ THEM. IT IS UNDER THE ARTICLE "OECD MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE ASSESSMENTS OF 15 YEAR OLD GHANAIANS."
Ghanaweb. July 5, 2015.
Authors: Ahia and Fredua-Kwarteng.
Stop being unneccesarily critical and cynical and start appreciating writers and what they go through to write for you and others.
Mind you, I am not saying you should not be critically constructive. This is why I have asked you to read the OECD report and educate me on your onw findings.
Please don't bring Kwesi Atta Sakyi into this. I had already read his comments to know that he is going to read the report.
In fact, my first comments under Kwesi's article is not even for him. It is meant for those like you who claimed not to have seen or read it. Besides, I mentioned the OECD report because its assumptions and arguments complement Kwesi's piece.
So Kwapong, INXS, or Jato Kaleo, "Did You Read the OECD report yet" is specifically for you, not Kwesi Atta Sakyi. Please stop behaving like the trickster Philip Kobina Baidoo, Jr.
Have a great weekend.
Thanks.
Jato Kaleo 8 years ago
Francis Kwarteng, check the ipaddress of Kwapong. It is not the same as Jato Kaleo.
I am NOT Kwapong.
I come here to critique articles on topics I am interested in. I don't come here to insult people or put them down fo ... read full comment
Francis Kwarteng, check the ipaddress of Kwapong. It is not the same as Jato Kaleo.
I am NOT Kwapong.
I come here to critique articles on topics I am interested in. I don't come here to insult people or put them down for any reason. I don't change my moniker to do that either. I've known since ages that anybody who wants to can check the ipaddresses of contributors. That is why I don't change my moniker in order to say things I won't say with my prevailing moniker.
I read the OECD report a long time ago on the OECD site where it has been available since the beginning of June or so. I live in a country which takes part in the PISA tests and where the country's falling down the PISA ranks has been widely discussed in the media.
But I am NOT the one responsible for the comment under Kwapong. I have tried to refrain from discussions directly with you (nothing prevents me from reading your articles and comments) and will NEVER assume another moniker in order to get at you.
francis kwarteng 8 years ago
Dear Jato Kaleo,
Your own statement does not support your present position.
Sometimes the IP-address does not say much by way of identity. One might easily jump on another computer and use a different moniker.
Wel ... read full comment
Dear Jato Kaleo,
Your own statement does not support your present position.
Sometimes the IP-address does not say much by way of identity. One might easily jump on another computer and use a different moniker.
Well, this is what you wrote on July 5, 2015 and I quote (WHAT DOES THE SECOND STATEMENT OF THE FIRST PARAGRAPH BEGINNING WITH THE WORD "UNLESS" MEAN?):
"Looks like this article is based on media accounts of the OECD report and the authors' snippets from the report given to the press. Unless we see the full report, we cannot really know how Ghana relates to other countries and what the report actually says about the standard of Ghanaian 15 year-olds in Maths and Science. These tests examine many other things too...
Btw, Tunisia has been taking part in these tests since 2000 and this is not the first time the study includes developing countries. But this is the first time Ghana is included and this is the study with the greatest number of countries - 76. The last one had 65 countries.
Anyway..."
This is why Adjoa responded to you under his comments "YES NONE HAS SEEN THE REPORT):
"It would help if we are privy to the full report...the fact remains that the report concluded a abysmal performance of the African 15-year olds on Math and Science.
It does not hurt to redouble efforts to be better. There is always room to improve!!"
And that is why I also gave you the link.
Please never fail to engage me constructively if you have the opportunity to read my articles. I enjoy doing this as it has the potential to bring out the best in us.
It is men like Baidoo that I try to ignore because he has a gift for telling egregious lies, misrepresenting and distorting facts, intentionally quoting authors out of context and sometimes even consciously misquoting them. You don't expect me to waste my time on him.
Engage me when you have the time to read my articles. Just simply deal with the substantive issues I raise.
Thanks.
Jato Kaleo 8 years ago
My comment is basically to tell you that I did not write the comment that goes under the moniker Kwapong.
In the first place, the comment is insulting. As a rule, I do not insult people on this forum and will never refer t ... read full comment
My comment is basically to tell you that I did not write the comment that goes under the moniker Kwapong.
In the first place, the comment is insulting. As a rule, I do not insult people on this forum and will never refer to anybody as "pathetic".
Secondly, my comments are often longer than what Kwapong wrote.
I will also not refer to Kwesi Sakyi as Dr. Kwesi Sakyi. As a matter of principle, I don't call people by Dr on this forum (unless I want to be sarcastic - not insulting). Even if I do call somebody Dr, I will use the British designation (without a full stop) not the American one as Kwapong did.
So if even the ipaddress identifier does not tell you I am not Kwapong, these other indicators should.
I regard myself as one of the "seniors" on ghanaweb, just like Kwesi Sakyi, in age. Many of the visitors here could have been my students in secondary school in Ghana or even my children. That is why I try to make my comments reflect my age. I cannot come here to insult people who could be my children because of something they have written on ghanaweb - or try to put them down, for that matter. But I am only human and can, sometimes, say something that offends others. Then, I am bold (and mature) enough to also say sorry.
MARCUS AMPADU 8 years ago
Dr. Sakyi I would have loved for you to compare our educational system to that of Zambia.
By the way, Dr. Sakyi how do you account for the recent falling standards in our system.
You were rather silent on the roles of p ... read full comment
Dr. Sakyi I would have loved for you to compare our educational system to that of Zambia.
By the way, Dr. Sakyi how do you account for the recent falling standards in our system.
You were rather silent on the roles of parents.teachers, and Ghanians in diaspora.
What can they do to improve the performance of our young ones?
Dr Kwesi Sakyi 8 years ago
Thank you Marcus for your rejoinder and the concerns raised.
1. Diasporeans can form Old students' associations to fundraise and send instructional materials such as books, lab equipment, computers etc and send to their alma ... read full comment
Thank you Marcus for your rejoinder and the concerns raised.
1. Diasporeans can form Old students' associations to fundraise and send instructional materials such as books, lab equipment, computers etc and send to their alma maters
2. They can go home to construct model schools for others to emulate
3. They can write books for students to use
4. They can form powerful lobbies to influence policy-makers
5.Teachers should use their powerful unions to present educational reforms to the government
4. WAEC and GES can hold colloquia at New Year School at Legon and all the public universities to hear the views of stakeholders
5. Parents should work very hard and invest in their children's education by sending them to quality public and private schools
6. PTAs should be organised to input a lot into school discipline, oversight, and provision of school needs such as quality instructional materials
7. Parents can volunteer to go to their children's schools to share their knowledge and skills as part of the learning community input
8. Teachers should be sponsored to travel outside in groups to see best practice in the developed countries
9. Chiefs and DAs/DCEs should put priority on education by making larger budget allocation to educational improvement
9. Even knowledge from our illiterate elders should be shared through their participating in passing on knowledge of Ananse fables and local lore, legends, art and craft, dance forms, oral history, drumming, cooking, etc
The falling standards in our educational system have been dealt with in the article. They include the massification of education sacrificing quantity for quality, indiscipline of both teachers and students, lack of commitment, bad government policies, the prevailing poor economy, the interference by technological gadgets and fads, lack of adequate investment by parents in education of their children, prefering to spend on cars, buildings, clothing, pargties, drinking, lotto or gambling, etc
Zambia's educational system is simple because since 1966, you enter university with excellent O Level results. Their exams are fairly easy and simple. Capital punishment was banished in schools a long time ago. In some respects, our Ghanaian curricula is broader by far, heavy in content and scope, and it offers variety but our systems are not up to speed in delivering the contents of that curricula.
Dr Kwesi Sakyi 8 years ago
I meant sacrificing quality for quantity.
I meant sacrificing quality for quantity.
francis kwarteng 8 years ago
Dr. Sakyi,
Please don't mind Kwapong or Jato Kaleo for dragging you into an issue I keep having with him.
Thanks.
Dr. Sakyi,
Please don't mind Kwapong or Jato Kaleo for dragging you into an issue I keep having with him.
Thanks.
MARCUS AMPADU 8 years ago
Dr. Kwesi Sakyiyou are certainly right that we have sacrificed qualify for quantity, ending in a large % of our youth being functionary illiterate, unable to demonstrate elementary skills to read & understand basic texts and ... read full comment
Dr. Kwesi Sakyiyou are certainly right that we have sacrificed qualify for quantity, ending in a large % of our youth being functionary illiterate, unable to demonstrate elementary skills to read & understand basic texts and master simple mathematical & scientific concepts and procedures, with a huge negative impact on our economic growth & sustainable socio-economic & political development.
Ghanaian elites at home & in diaspora have to step up and do something swiftly to adapt, and open to change, irrespective of the government in power.
Good day.
The report is available on line.
I did look through the report when it was originally published on line, but tried unsuccessfully to retrieve it for Ghanaweb readers.
Fortunately, I contacted one of US-base ...
read full comment
Thanks Francis for the useful link. I shall read and get back to you. Warm regards.
You are welcome Dr. Kwesi!
I enjoyed reading this essay because it has certain personalities some of my friends claimed not to have heard about.
They have since gone ahead to read about these personalities.
Thanks ...
read full comment
Francis, you should know the mathematical giant, Dr. Abbiw-Jackson (RIP).
And there are a few younger geniuses that Kwesi hasn't discovered yet.
Dr Francis Oduro comes to mind. An astrophysicist through and through.
Yes,
I never knew Dr. Abbiw-Jackson personally (though I know about his professorship at KNUST/and his work with the Ghanaian government--I think the statistical department/Bank of Ghana, etc., I am not too sure.
Dr. A ...
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Yes, that's him!!! Dr Francis T. Oduro
I've heard when as a freshman ("homo") at Augusco, he was once found drawing a cathode ray tube circuit on the black board by the night-study supervisor.
The guy understands thoro ...
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Thanks Tekonline.org,
Yes, teaching is classical mathematics brings back memories of discussions on Einstein, David Hilbert, Poincare, Henrick Lorentz, etc.
In remember very those days that Dr. Opoku would refuse to ta ...
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Dear Francis, all the things you said about your Uncle, especially the passing of the wife, confirms we are talking about the same person.
All little anecdote involving Dr Oduro. You would be amazed how intellectually-equi ...
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Dear Tekonline.org,
Oh yes, it is the same Dr. Oduro I believe we are talking about.
Thanks for the comments. I really enjoyed the one on my uncle and and Fermat's last theory. That question should properly have gone P ...
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There were the Abbiw Jacksons at UST, the Dickson brothers and their Reverend father, Prof B.A.Dadson, Prof Yarney Ewusi, Prof Acheampong, Ken Dadzie, Kwame Amamoo, Dr Alex Quaison Sackey, Prof Atta Annan Mensah, Brig Gen Nun ...
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Congratulations for this article. Keep on writing. Hopefully an influential person among the educational policy makers in Ghana will happen to read this article and be moved to take steps to improve the horrible state of aff ...
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Kwesi Sakyi, don't you think your brain is only partially functioning?
Dr. thanks for your write up. You are simply on point. But the problem is, they are not reading
A certificate oriented education where everyone wants to get a qualification simply through route learning. Too much emphasis has been placed on paper and pen exams which assesses the cognitive aspect to the neglect of the he ...
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What is the difference between today's piece and the one posted here on June 30th?
I don't see much difference apart from beginning today's piece with a long list of Ghanaian achievers and making the entire article much lo ...
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Dr. Sakyi:
Much too long an article.
Perhaps you should turn its relevant contents into a well substantiated steering document for a literacy initiative in Ghana. Next, document your literacy initiative findings, repli ...
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Thank you Jato Kaleo of former CPP Tallensi constituency and cabinet minister under Nkrumah's regime. The point is that the previous article had many editorial, grammatical, and substantive deficiences which were corrected in ...
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Dear Kaleo,
How are you?
Why didn't you point out some of the holes for us rather than waiting for Paa kwesi Mintah?
Well, some of my friends missed the first one and were glad when I pointed out this to them?
Th ...
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Francis, do you always want to know better or who do you think you are?
Are you indirectly attacking Dr. Kwesi Sakyi or trying to tell him what to do? You are very pathetic!
Kwapong, INXS, or Jato Kaleo,
The OECD report was for you, Jato Kaleo, not for Kwesi Atta Sakyi.
The other day you Jato Kaleo were questioning the basis of an article (based on the OECD report) a duo wrote for Ghanaweb ...
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Francis Kwarteng, check the ipaddress of Kwapong. It is not the same as Jato Kaleo.
I am NOT Kwapong.
I come here to critique articles on topics I am interested in. I don't come here to insult people or put them down fo ...
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Dear Jato Kaleo,
Your own statement does not support your present position.
Sometimes the IP-address does not say much by way of identity. One might easily jump on another computer and use a different moniker.
Wel ...
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My comment is basically to tell you that I did not write the comment that goes under the moniker Kwapong.
In the first place, the comment is insulting. As a rule, I do not insult people on this forum and will never refer t ...
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Dr. Sakyi I would have loved for you to compare our educational system to that of Zambia.
By the way, Dr. Sakyi how do you account for the recent falling standards in our system.
You were rather silent on the roles of p ...
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Thank you Marcus for your rejoinder and the concerns raised.
1. Diasporeans can form Old students' associations to fundraise and send instructional materials such as books, lab equipment, computers etc and send to their alma ...
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I meant sacrificing quality for quantity.
Dr. Sakyi,
Please don't mind Kwapong or Jato Kaleo for dragging you into an issue I keep having with him.
Thanks.
Dr. Kwesi Sakyiyou are certainly right that we have sacrificed qualify for quantity, ending in a large % of our youth being functionary illiterate, unable to demonstrate elementary skills to read & understand basic texts and ...
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