Education
Blackboard
Research done by EROP and also discussions with teachers in the local schools and disadvantaged families in these regions indicates that disadvantaged families of these children in the rural and remote areas have psychologically embraced poverty to the extent that they cannot see themselves by any means coming out of the situation and this culture has also been passed on to the children indirectly through the environment that they are in. For instance;
Families – Parents in rural areas are illiterate and do not encourage their children to pursue a career in education, motivate them to do their home work, study after school hours simply because they themselves have not been exposed to a career in education. They are therefore unable to see education as priority for their children. A large percentage of disadvantaged children and families in the rural North Volta Region ignorantly viewed education as unimportant as they have it in their mind that they would in the long term need their children to help them in their farms or menial trade once they finish their primary or secondary education.
Parents often prefer to keep their children from school during farming season so the children can help them in their menial farming. These families do not create an environment where a child can learn or do his or her assignment. The cultural and traditional perception of the role of girls pursuing education is flawed as girls are expected or considered to marry when they reach teenage
Through our research it was discovered that some of the children are so intelligent and that if provided the opportunity could become future leaders who could eradicate poverty in their families, communities and the Global World.
Children – There are no strict or official rules about wearing uniforms to school, however some of the barriers of education for the disadvantaged children are that children who do not have school uniforms are often being mocked by their peers at schools. Primary school enrolment rates in poor rural areas are extremely high as a result of Government initiatives on compulsory Primary education, however a high proportion drop out before Secondary School.
Our research indicates that enrolment rate in respect of girls in some schools tends to be lower than the boys. There is higher drop out and less transition to secondary because of cultural, family and community perception of the role of girls in respect of education.
Despite considerable improvements in infrastructure in Primary and Secondary education some rural areas, performance in literacy, numeracy is alarmingly poor and the enthusiasm to learn is also hindered by lack of books, supplies and teacher training. Disparities in academic performance in rural and urban students is high. In some Districts the Basic Education Certificate Examination results is zero percent (0%). For instance in the Agona West Municipality and Agona East District, Hohoe and Kadjebi districts scored zero percent (0%) pass rate in the 2010. The Percentage of students pursuing to Universities and also to undertake professional or vocational courses is very low. These are just a few of the places and schools I have time to mention. There are more of such trends in poor performance other rural areas in various districts. School drop-outs and absenteeism is high, literacy and numeracy is extremely low in both Primary and Secondary Schools. . Teenage pregnancies are high and migration to the Cities to seek menial jobs or trade is alarming high.
EROP aims to
- Improve school attendance, particularly disadvantage children in primary and secondary schools,
- Actively improve higher percentage pass rate for students in secondary schools to Universities.
- Increase enrolment in secondary schools and provide merit and need based bursaries and other support for students.
- Increased primary school completion rates.
- Provide Mentorship so the children can emulate
- Increase pass rate for the children in the primary and secondary education.
- Introduce proper skill learning programmes including ICT
Teachers – There are currently shortage of trained teachers in the rural areas and teachers are not willing to be relocated to rural areas after graduation. Teachers who accept transfer to go the rural areas are unwilling to stay for a longer period. Some of them even leave or quit the teaching before their year is up. There is also less incentive or motivation for graduate teachers to moves to these areas. In some districts, there are Community–Teacher disagreements as they accuse each other on various issues. Teachers are being frustrated by the parents of the school children because the children are most of the time absent from school without valid reasons or permission from teachers and school home work are not being done. Teachers are being treated rudely by families when their children are disciplined as a result of misbehaviour or absence from school without permission.
EROP aims to
- Motivate teachers and provide incentive to maintain teachers in the remote areas
- Involve families and communities, teachers and District Councils to support educating girls and boys.
- Support in community training so teachers can be generated from within local communities.
- Establish and improve Good Teacher –Pupil relationship
- Support for learning difficulties
- Improve Community-Teacher relationship
- Provide incentives such as sponsorship and teacher training lines for untrained teachers
- Establish strong Partnership between teachers, Schools; training colleges, Universities; and government organisation
