As part of an ISASA-funded initiative to visit independent schools in other parts of the world, Thomas Hagspihl offer a synopsis of the schools he visited in Ghana.
One of the many benefits of being able to visit independent schools in other countries is that it gives one a lot of time to think – often while sitting in airports or during long evenings in hotel rooms. It made me realise just how badly we have got things wrong in the South African education system.
We force everyone through a sausage machine called Matric, whether the students want it or not or, whether they need it or not. We often have to coax kids to learn, continually trying to find newer ways to excite them in class and find better and better ways to explain concepts to make it easier for them to understand.
Observing the diligence of the girls at the African Science Academy (ASA), in Ghana, it dawned on me that motivation, focus and hard work only come when there is a purpose to what you do. These girls focus because they have a purpose, and a goal. There are no discipline issues; there is no lack of motivation and teachers don’t have to sit on kids to do their homework. They have chosen to be at the ASA, they want to be there; nothing else is needed.
But in South Africa, even at high-school level, teachers have to spend much time dealing with discipline issues: badly behaved or lazy children who don’t want to work. It’s a waste of time and energy, and it takes its toll on a teacher’s well-being.
But we can’t entirely blame the students either. From their perspective, an understanding of quadratic equations, titrations or even Hamlet won’t benefit them in later life. So, understandably, they aren’t interested. It’s different at the ASA: girls want to be there and so are keen and bright-eyed, and they work incredibly hard. How we can help our students to find purpose that inspires motivation to learn has given me lots to think about!!
The following are synopses of my visit to various independent schools in Ghana.
German International School, Accra
This is a small school, not just for ex-pats, but also for locals who want to learn to speak German. With only 75 pupils from pre-school to Grade 6, and 15 teachers, the school has diminished in numbers in recent years and finds itself in financial difficulty.
Although the teachers, and headmaster’s salaries are paid by the German government and the school receives an additional subsidy, their fees are still a hefty €10 000 for Grade 6. Ghana has only a small number of wealthy people – almost no middle class – and most of the population lives at a subsistence level. So, it’s no wonder the school is struggling.
At the time of its founding in 1966, there was a significant population of Germans in Accra – many of whom were contract workers who would live in the city for a few years. The number of Germans in Ghana has decreased considerably however, so the school now markets itself as a place to learn German, hoping to attract more local pupils. Children in the vorschule (pre-primary) and those in Grade 1, learn German easily and quickly, which is obviously a huge benefit to anybody in the global village.
As in Germany, pupils start school later, typically at seven-years-old, and start learning through exploration (entdeckungslernen). The headmaster explained that this is often seen by parents as ‘playing’ and not as learning but nothing could be further from the truth.
This ‘directed playing’ pays off handsomely later. I found it interesting that teachers in the preschool are called Erzieherin which, strictly translated, means somebody that rears children. They do not study at a university and do a three-year course at a training college.
When I paged through a Grade 4 language text book, I noted that, aside from the beautiful presentation, the content was thought-provoking and challenging. The problem-centred approach that we speak about often, is properly in action here. Kids are challenged and expectations are high. Spoon-feeding and rote learning is something foreign to German teachers.
Ghana International School (GIS)
I had a fruitful meeting with the Executive Head, Dr Mary Ashun, who is an incredibly vivacious, forward-thinking leader. I found three things really interesting and useful:
1. Once a year the school hosts a ‘Time Conference’ for about 500 educators from across Ghana. It’s an opportunity for teachers to attend talks, presentations and lots of workshops – and it encourages teachers to get involved in some way.
2. The school hosts a Visiting International Educator VIE programme, for foreign teachers to spend a month at GIS. The programme is funded and takes place twice a year: October and mid-February to mid-March. Visiting international teachers are expected to co-teach some of the classes, immerse themselves in everything the school offers and possibly present professional development sessions for the GIS staff. Travel to and from Ghana as well as related travel costs are borne by the participants. This internationally-minded programme aims to challenge and invigorate the staff at GIS.
3. Staff development. There is also a programme to develop teachers at GIS. Three options are on offer for staff to choose from:
- Master teacher track
- Admin track
- Researcher track
There is a strong drive at GIS to promote from within and this programme certainly helps with the training along three different lines. In conversation with the Mathematics department at GIS, I realised that there is no national Mathematics Olympiad in Ghana.
Initially I wanted to invite them to write our South African Mathematics Olympiad, but then I thought: Why not start the Ghana National Mathematics Olympiad? The teachers at GIS were keen and so that’s exactly what we plan to do. I have already sent through a proposal for their consideration and will probably go back in February next year to do some training and set up.
African Science Academy (ASA)
This is an inspirational school: I have never seen a school so focused on a goal, which is to get the best A-level results in Mathematics, Further Mathematics and Physics. No frills, nothing extra. It’s perhaps because of this rigid adherence to this goal, that their results are so spectacular.
ASA is a small school, with about 40 girls from across Africa, including Ghana, Nigeria, Togo, Rwanda, Cameroon, Tanzania, South Sudan, Kenya, Zimbabwe and, indeed, one girl from South Africa. Pupils do their A-levels in Mathematics, Further Mathematics and Physics in ten months and then write 13 exams.
It’s an incredibly full programme and the school day runs from 8.00 am to 5.00 pm. Lessons are 90 minutes long and day is regulated. Girls rise at 5.00 am and lights out is at 10.00 pm. Their first ‘personal study time’ is at 06.45 before breakfast at 07.30.
Entrance tests and interviews are stringent, with the result that the academic quality of the students is very high, despite the fact that they come from disadvantaged backgrounds. Successful applicants are given holiday homework before they arrive. They also have access to ASA alumni for online tutoring on certain topics to prepare them for their year. There is a strong alumni network and, because of the free education they received, there is an expectation that the girls give back.
All girls have to board. No visitors are allowed, not even parents and not even on weekends. No phones are allowed during the week and girls only get them on weekends for a few hours to contact their parents. There is also no TV. They have their own laptops but, because of the honour code, the school doesn’t worry about them visiting dodgy sites: the girls just don’t do it. Again, girls are totally focused and there is no time given to distractions. Discipline is strict, but very few default because they want to be here.
Teachers also work really hard at the ASA and only get 40 days leave a year. They also get one ‘wellness day’ per month, which takes place around test times because the girls don’t need supervision. ASA has a total staff complement of 14 which includes three Mathematics and three Physics teachers.
This is a fully funded programme. The current budget is £10 000 per child for the year which equates to R238 000. That includes everything: laptops, tuition, board and lodging, and all sundry expenses. The African Gifted Foundation, the umbrella body under which the ASA falls, also helps with the girls’ university funding.