When we pass the first group along the red dirt road, I look back. What are these boys running for? Then we pass another group, and some more. This goes on for about 2km on the road between Jirapa and Sabuli. Many wave as we zoom past on our motorbike, but some simply stare ahead in concentration. We pass maybe 70 or 80 kids in total, boys and girls of all sizes. With only a few exceptions, they all have one thing in common: they aren't wearing any shoes.
It is a school out for a cross-country practice. Many of the children come to school in flip-flops, the only footwear their families can afford. Some come to school with no shoes at all. But when it is time to run, only the few with stronger shoes keep them on their feet. The rest shed their footwear and start off on the rocky roads, smiling and showing no signs of pain as they run along.
This is just one example of "the way things are" at rural schools in the Upper West Region of Ghana.
A rural Junior High School in Ganaa
Many children wear uniforms to school, but those who can't afford them just wear their everyday clothes. There are no official rules about wearing a uniform to school, but those who can't afford one will be made fun of by their peers.
Children are also expected to have their own school supplies - small textbooks, notebooks, pencils, etc. These also cost money, which some families don't have.
Ghana no longer charges fees for children to go to school. The practice of introducing school fees was common in many African countries during the Structural Adjustment Programs of the 80s, but later reversed once enrollment rates dropped dramatically. However, there are associated fees that families must still provide if they want their children to get a good education. And these fees can act as barriers to the poorest children attending school.
Additionally, children will often be kept home from school, especially on market days and in the farming season, to help their parents with the work at home. Not only does it cost money to go to school (if one wants the proper supplies and attire), but the family is losing out on an income-generation opportunity. If a child stays home to help with the work, the family will earn more money from their farm, or perhaps from selling goods at the market or on the street. For the poorest families, the opportunity to earn just a bit more through the labour of their children is impossible to pass up. And children who work can't go to school.
On top of the monetary issues faced by rural families, there is also a problem with the school system itself. Many Ghanaians become teachers as a stepping stone on the path to another occupation. Teachers are under-paid, and can be posted almost anywhere, which is often not near their families and communities. Also, many teachers at rural schools don't live in the communities in which they work. They will choose to live in a larger town nearby and commute to school, cutting them off further from the realities of the students they teach.
Some of the teachers in the rural northern regions are on their National Service year, a mandatory year of volunteerism required of every Ghanaian university graduate. The state has the right to post the National Service Volunteers anywhere they wish, and though most of these new grads are not from the northern regions this is where the most volunteer service is needed. Many are shocked by life in the north and are less than pleased to be here. Some will even quit before their year is up.
Clearly there is a problem with teacher motivation at the schools in this area. That is not to say that there are no good teachers; I have met a few that are truly passionate about their classes and want to give the children the best educational experience they can offer. But the majority of teachers at rural schools are there because they have to be, not because they want to be.
What does the Ghana Education Service do?
The District Director is in charge of all of the schools in a particular district. He heads up the District Education Office (which is where I'm working in Jirapa/Lambussie District) and reports to the Regional Education Office (in this case, in charge of the whole Upper West Region). He is responsible for making sure his staff do their jobs, and have the means to do it properly. The office here is made up of several departments, including administration and finance, training and hiring, and school supervision (of which I am a part). Within this department there are people in charge of culture, phys.ed, science, technology and math, setting exams and a multitude of other things. The District Girls Education Officer (Natalia, who I am working with) is also in this group. She is in charge of visiting schools in the district to encourage girls to complete their education, as well as dealing with specific issues like teenage pregnancy and elopement. There is also a team of Circuit Supervisors who are responsible for the 218 schools within the District. These schools are divided into 12 circuits and one Supervisor is in charge of each circuit. They travel around the circuits and make sure things are being carried out properly. They verify the attendance of the Headmaster and teachers at all of their schools and monitor childrens' attendance as well. They check the content of the curriculum being taught, monitor school health and generally make sure the children are receiving a good education. The Circuit Supervisors can also fire teachers if they are not showing up to school or not carrying out their duties.
Sign outside the GES District Office
Hypothetically, that is how my office works. But in reality very little of this work is carried out properly.
I had a chat the other day with two of my co-workers: Louisa, who is in charge of receiving schools' proposals and handing out grants, and Simon, who manages all of the circuit Supervisors. (They are both over 40 years of age, like most of the people who work in this office. It takes time to be promoted to this level and as a result many people here are on the verge of retirement. This creates problems when the work requires constant travel and an abundance of energy to interact with the mostly-young teaching population.) I asked Louisa and Simon what the main barriers are for the Circuit Supervisors in their work. They identified three things: Means, Mobility and Motivation.
MEANS
Unfortunately, as with everything, it all comes down to money. It takes money to fuel a motorcycle, which is the primary mode of transportation for the Circuit Supervisors. But somehow none of the money that comes into the District Office every year gets allocated to these field workers for fuel, which makes it very difficult for them to get around. For example, Natalia is supposed to visit every community in the district once per term (there are three terms in a year). However, there are some schools that she has not visited in over two years because she does not have the money for fuel to get there.
MOBILITY
A moto is required to get to the majority of the schools in this district - the population density makes public transportation impossible except along a few select routes. And a moto is expensive (in Ghanaian terms), at least Ghc600 ($600). The GES District office bought several motos a few years ago for use by the Circuit Supervisors, but currently there are only 5 available for 12 people. Some personally own motos, which they can use for their jobs, but the majority don't have the money for this. As a result, many of the Circuit Supervisors are left without the means or the mobility to carry out their work.
MOTIVATION
I have noticed something very interesting when I use the word "motivation" in Ghana: it has a different meaning. In Canada, I use the word "motivation" often to describe passion for one's work. Motivation comes from within, a reaction to injustices we see or ambitions we want to pursue. But here in Ghana, the word has taken on a much narrower meaning. "Motivation" is used to describe not internal drive, but external incentive. When people here speak of "motivation", they are really talking about compensation, including recognition from peers or supervisors and/or monetary compensation.
This is a touchy subject, and one that I won't speculate on too much. I think the internal motivation is present in most GES employees to improve education in the district. However, many find that they will receive the same "motivation" (compensation) whether they do their jobs properly or not. So why work more than you have to when you will still receive the same pay?
As a result, the schools don't get regular visits from the District Office, and they start to slack off. I have visited several schools already where we arrive to find the Headmaster has gone to the bank, or the market, or even gone home. Or maybe he has not arrived at school yet that day, even though it's past 10am. The same can be said for the teachers, who can wander into school at whatever time they please when no one is there to punish them. One time we arrived at a school to find all of the students dressed in their uniforms and playing outside. When we asked where their teachers were, a student replied "they have not arrived yet". I was incredulous! But that's the reality of rural schools. The current focus is on enrollment - get all the kids into school. But along the way, the quality of education has been neglected.
The parents have some power to hold schools accountable for their childrens education, but only if they are actually interested in this education. Many parents are illiterate themselves, or don't see the value of education, and thus do not take an interest in the education of their children. And some parents are just too busy farming or working to put food on the table. Schools will often call PTA meetings to allow parents the opportunity to speak up, but few parents have the time or motivation to attend. In these cases, the teachers are not held accountable by anyone: parents, headmasters or Circuit Supervisors.
It is a dismal situation, and easy to lose hope. Keeping kids in school is a constant challenge. But one institution that is helping with the problem of retention is the Sara clubs. Here the students learn the importance of education for both girls and boys. They learn things that are useful to them outside of school, such as personal hygiene and respect for others. Their parents see this, and support them in their studies. Sara club members have become more assertive in class, asking questions, answering questions and demanding a good education. Teachers respond by improving their lessons and giving more time to answer students' questions. Overall, the academic performance of Sara club members has improved through changes in the students, parents and teachers.
Meeting with a Sara club in Ullo
But not everyone can be in a Sara club. In fact, there are more schools in the district that DON'T have Sara clubs than those that do have them. Many students believe, as their parents do, that school is a waste of time. They regularly miss school, fall asleep in class, show bad behaviour and don't study hard. Eventually they drop out, choosing instead to work or spend their time idly with their friends. They are not always to blame; they have no good role models and life is hard.
Still, even in those communities where life is most difficult, you will find students that show great dedication to their studies. Why do they do it, when their teachers, parents and communities generally don't support their efforts? Because somewhere along the way, someone has told them that education is the key to their future. They want to grow up to be doctors, lawyers, engineers. They want to go to a good school and earn lots of money for their children. They want to escape the trap of poverty, and they know education is the way out.
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