Educational Policy in Ghana 2004 by John Agyekum Kuffour

The Expression of Patriotism by the Ghanaian youth

Ghana can boast of patriotic youth both present and past such as our first president Dr Kwame Nkrumah, the Big Six, the veterans of 1948, Dr. Kwegir Aggrey, Kofi Annan, and many others that were involved in the fight for independence and after independence. These are all people that had and have their country at heart and one way or the other due to their interest in the affairs of their country took the necessary actions. These are much respected people in our world today and they are heroes and role models for many. As to whether the youth today are as patriotic as those of the 1900’s or if it was their choice or a collective duty to Ghana for the youth in the 1900’s that’s also quite a debatable topic.

Some may also be of the view that the youth of Ghana are more interested in making quick money, social media, fashion, drugs, clubbing or fraud. Yet, there are also those belonging to the school of thought that, the youth have an urge to participate in policy making, patronize made in Ghana products, bring about innovations in relation to our culture, sense of patriotism and volunteerism, respect for the elderly and love for our country.

Personally, I think the youth of Ghana also have a strong sense of patriotism within them and this is demonstrated in how passionate we are about issues affecting the country. Examples are our love for peace and stability, justice, sense of community, respect for the elderly and compassion towards the less privileged in society. Unfortunately, this passion is not channeled appropriately in the right direction. In my observation, mostly we resort to making our concerns known on social media platforms, group discussions and arguments and television and radio shows. This even though somehow useful achieves little or no results since the leaders consider such grievances. In my own opinion it shows their love for their country only that it should be channeled to the right platform, the relevant people, using effective means and most importantly taking positive action on their own to solve the various problems on their own .It is not wholly about what they are interested in or whether they are better than their leaders but what impact are they having on their country. Advocacy, negotiation and discussions are vital but it is about time the youth look forward to resorting to identifying what they want in their communities.

It definitely will be more effective to start to do something, even if little, to implement our ideas and dreams. Together we can rise above the fear of being wrong or failing and any phobia of being different or criticized. After all, we still have priceless assets such as our time, skills and the youthful energy which can be put to very good use. The days of waiting for the government and politicians are over because it has not provided the desired result and the youth have to take up responsibilities for positive change. We have the option to be the change we want to see in our world, first by starting with ourselves and then making that change. Prior to all this, the youth have to make it a point to change the way we think, our attitudes towards development and how we perceive our communities. It is essential that the youth being the backbone begin to think positively and believe in ourselves and our country. We need to decide on what we want to do and go be it, taking into consideration the positive impact we can have on country and how we would unconsciously be developing ourselves. We should be motivated to be passionate about our country enough, to develop the love for volunteering and patriotic ways of life. We should learn to overlook the material benefits we can get, the problems or challenges we face, the actions of politicians, and what or who has started so far and start something so others can follow our lead.

That said, there should be more organizations such as Patriots Ghana (www.patriotsghana.org) and other youth friendly organizations that would provide the right platform to train, nurture, improve and harness the skills of the youth towards sustainable development. Leaders at all levels should give the youth the chance to also contribute their quota to this country no matter how small it may seem. The youth should be provided with platforms and avenues such as internships, workshops, seminars, training sessions, and exchange programs so they can acquire the requisite knowledge and skills. This is essential in the sense that “you cannot give what you do not have.

If these actions are encouraged it will surely go a long way to reduce the level of unemployment in the youth, since they would be equipped to start their enterprises, projects and organizations. It is important that, this be incorporated right from the basic school level, so that after school the youth would not be looking forward to someone employing them but would be motivated to start their own entities to employ others, support themselves and contribute to their countries development.

Furthermore, youth clubs should be established in all communities and already existing ones should be revitalized to create a very good platform for the youth of communities to volunteer, interact and have good peer influence towards development. Ghana needs the youth and the youth need their country. “wonsom! wonsom! wonyi nyimpa”, if the youth should come together, with one mind and passion for our dear motherland, believing in ourselves and our country there is nothing we cannot do. As a fellow volunteer and member of Patriots Ghana KNUST (www.patriotsghana-knust.webs.com) it is easy to notice how effective and the impact we have on how community even with the somewhat little things that we do. This can be attributed to the unity in strength, passion, like mindedness, love, energy, intellect, determination and many other remarkable qualities. We can start by doing what is necessary and then what is possible and before long we would be doing the impossible. It is time to live for a greater purpose, let us not miss what matters, we should let go of the irrelevant connections and attachments and reach out.

Arise Ghana Youth!!!

Article By: Emmanuel Yamoah

                        Patriots Ghana KNUST

Correlation between parental care and child trafficking

"Some problems are so complex that you have to be highly intelligent and well-informed just to be undecided about them." But child trafficking, at least from my own point of view, should not be such a problem.

Parents are the first point of contact of every child and they act as the immediate authority and source for all their needs. In instances where there is no parent, the child then has to rely on their guardians for this support and also obey them as the immediate authority. Children in general are regarded as a blessing in diverse cultures, religions, race, political orientations etc. But in reality are not treated as a blessing to these different orientations. A research conducted by Cheerful Hearts Foundation (www.cheerfulheartsfoundation.org) showed that a disturbing percentage of children trafficked were because their parents or guardians were willing to give their children out. Most parents are of the view that since they cannot support their wards to have an education, they thought it wise to give them out to others that they thought could take care of the children better. "The problem is not that there are problems. The problem is expecting otherwise and thinking that having problems is a problem."

Others also take money from the traffickers for the services their children are going to be rendering at various places working with fishermen, farmers, miners, businessmen, merchants etc. These young ones have to live with mostly strangers, far away from home, and work under hazardous conditions. It’s quite pathetic that even for some parents; even when they have enough resources to support their children’s education or receive support from someone or an organization still give their children out. While volunteering with cheerful Hearts Foundation, an organization that rescues these children, sponsors their education and provide all the necessary support, I experienced a similar instance. Let’s call the rescued and sponsored boy, Isaac. Isaac was absent from school for some days and when myself and other international volunteers finally met his mother, (after countless visits to their home) She told us the boy was currently with his father. When we asked her why, she said the father was not taking care of the boy properly so she sent him away to his father in another region of the country. Apparently, when we confronted her we got to know that the boy is currently not in school. Even though the organization had paid for the boy’s fees, bought books, uniforms, examination fees, shoes and all other learning materials Isaac would need to stay in school, it seemed she just did not care. She did not tell anyone from the organization about this and this meant that Isaac would have to repeat his class even if he came back. She promised to bring the boy back but after visiting her the following week she apologized that the boy is currently in Yeji, (a fishing community where most children are trafficked to work as fishing assistants). Clearly, this mother does not love her son like she says she does and probably does not think education is important for her son. This is just one of the many instances that inspire me to write such articles. In this instance, education as one of the many rights of children that this boy is being denied by the traffickers and with the support of his own parents. Every child in the first stages of their lives look to their parents for most of their needs and in most cases their mothers being quite close to them have a lot of influence on them. If the child in those first stages does not get that kind of relationship from his or her parent, they are likely to have negative perception about how parents should relate to their children. If not properly, contained, a victim of such situations is likely to treat his or her own ward in the same manner because they never experienced proper parental care. And then a new cycle begins all over again and this gradually destroys the society in which we find ourselves.

Child Trafficking can be stopped but just talking about it definitely cannot solve any problem. "One thing is sure. We have to do something. We have to do the best we know how at the moment . . . ; If it doesn't turn out right, we can modify it as we go along."

 

Is poverty enough excuse for child abuse?

Is poverty enough excuse for child abuse?

My mother told me she cannot afford the school fees, schooling expenses and money for other learning materials. This is the likely response one would get from the children that are used as laborers at various sea shores. I ask myself, do these parents really see the need for education? Is basic education really too much for them to afford? Since education is the right of every child is lack of finance enough excuse for the child’s rights to be infringed upon.

In the world today education is undeniably the key to success and wellbeing. Upon carrying out many interviews with children mostly child laborers at the shores these children desire to be doctors, teachers, nurses, engineers, bankers, lawyers, and of course president. These are a few among many relevant professions that they tell me .May be I am not up to date on things happening in the world currently but i have not heard of an uneducated fisherman that is also an aerospace engineer, or may be a pharmacist. I wonder if any reader would allow any illiterate fisherman to perform surgery or fly a plane. I will prefer walking even if it may take me the rest of my life because i surely will not get to my destination if i board that plane. The point i am trying to make is, these children will never become what they dream of becoming if they continue as child labourers.it is like they are building castles in the skies and may probably end up just like their parents, poor, uneducated and with a sizable number of  non-schooling children. The cycle then begins all over again, with many having shattered dreams.it is not surprising that a father can tell his son to the face that, his grandfather did not take him to school so if he really desires to go to school then he should be prepared to work to pay for all the expenses. Surprisingly, parents apparently tell their children to hide when their teachers come to their homes to check up on kids that did not report to school. How ridiculous! This is even much worse when it comes to the girl child but i would not like to delve deep into that. The parents of these rather unfortunate children don’t realize the harm they are causing their children since they are uneducated themselves. I am always sad when most tell me they don’t know their age, and names, and how much more the names of their parents who also most likely have no idea what theirs are. The article seven of the UN convention on the rights of the child states that all children have the right to a legally registered name, and nationality. Also the right to know, and as far as possible to be cared for by their parents. The article eight also states that the government must respect children’s right to a name. I guess these adorable children probably have no nationality or may be from another planet then.

Article twenty eight also states that children have the right to education. Primary education should be free. Richer countries should help poorer countries to ensure this. Luckily primary education is technically free, but as to whether it’s really free is whole new story. Nonetheless, still a lot of children are still working under hazardous conditions, staying at home or being trafficked to other places and all of them have the same excuse my mother cannot afford. Surprisingly, these same parents have enough to buy alcohol, enough to buy new fabrics for every funeral, and enough to have fancy funeral, marriage and naming ceremonies. Clearly from their own actions one can say, education of their wards is not that important to them.one chief in some rural town in Ghana once told me he will do everything to ensure his daughter properly educated because even though he has a lot of farms and other properties when he dies his extended family members may take them from his wife and children but he they can never take away his daughters knowledge and certificates. This happens to be a man that did not school much himself but knew how important education was. This make me wonder are those parents that do not send their children to school but force them to go out and work under harmful conditions just wicked or ignorant. According to the institute of statistical, social and economic research thus ISSER of the University of Ghana, forty six of adult Ghanaians are illustrates, but also ignorance of the law is no excuse for breaking it.

furthermore, despite the fifty per cent poverty reduction since the nineteen nineties, twenty five per cent of Ghanaians are still living in poverty and twenty four per cent of children are engaged in the worst forms of child labour.no matter how hard one may try, it seems impossible to neglect the fact that there are some parents that genuinely cannot afford to take their wards to school but wish they could. The question then comes in what do these parents do. Before i attempt to answer this question, I state that education is priority and a right of every child hence backed by law. Also according to article thirty two of the UN convention on the rights of the child the government must protect children from work that is dangerous or that might harm their health or education. With these statements in mind, now i come to the question above. There is an African proverb that states that all the fingers are not the same, meaning we all different thus in terms of race, religion, abilities, wealth, ideology, and family systems. I acknowledge the fact that some families find difficult to even provide food for their children but children are a gifts to families and as vulnerable as they are should not be made to suffer because of the status of their parents. Parents should do their best to seek for support from all sources available in order to finance their children’s education. Some suggestions family members, community based agencies and organizations, credit unions, civil society organizations and non-governmental organizations. Even though i agree that it may be hard getting support from these sources, I think that just parents would go the extra mile to seek for financial support when a family member dies in order to have a befitting funeral for the person they can do the same to educate children. Furthermore, I happen to have come across and know a number of organizations that are dedicated to supporting children such as cheerful hearts foundation and many others that they can get support from. Parents should also consider the dangers they expose their children to by making them work at stone quarries, going to sea, mining, child prostitution, etc. A story told of twelve year old in nyanyano lets call him kweku. kweku while at sea fishing with men old enough to be his father, was asked to dive into the water and release the nets that seem to be stuck. kweku agreed and dived in but upon reaching the sea bed could not release the nets so swam back to the surface but these heartless men forced kweku to dive back through their usual physical and verbal abuse. But kweku unfortunately did not return again and when another boy was sent he saw kweku laid on the floor of the ocean, dead. Who knows kweku probably also desired to be a doctor, pilot or lawyer but his parents thought it wise to send him with fishermen to go and fish because struggled financially. What saddens my heart the most is now that kweku is dead; his family will receive a lot of support to hold a fancy burial. Where were they when kweku needed a few Ghana cedi to buy an exercise book and cater for other minor expenses? There goes another professional killed because poverty was given as an excuse. His parents may be thought by him working he can also contribute something small to support the family but not considering or comparing to his worth if and only if he had gone to school. Some parents are unaware while others just don’t care about the fact these children are subjected to all types of abuse such as physical, emotional, verbal, and sexual abuse and the most common form, neglect. A social work student wrote of the university of Ghana wrote on her blog

CHILD LABOUR IS AS HIV/AIDS

We are all at risk and need to get tested and know our status before

Becoming parents.

The future of the child is ruined when parents do not realize that they

Have a responsibility to take care of us.

They use the child as a money making instrument by imposing hard

Work on them and also traffic them to get more money.

Parents should all be tested to find out if they are capable of taking

Good care of the children they produce. www.zamleyadams.blogspot.com.even though i agree with her , actually don’t know how that would be possible.

Shockingly, these children are paid very little or nothing at all for the hazardous work they do. Averagely the highest they receive is two Ghana cedi and some of them have to sell for example the fish they get from going to sea as their income. If truly these vulnerable children are being needlessly abused because of poverty then it is clearly pointless because poverty is never going to be eradicated this way. Child abuse should never be an option because of poverty. Imagine what would happen to a country if all its children are abused and made to work in these hazardous places. The end result will be a future generation of uneducated adults and leaders. May be you don’t care because they are not your children, family members, race, religious group, or country? But remember these children are the same people that become the armed robbers, fraudsters, prostitutes, terrorists, rapists, or all kinds of social vices. And trust me; they directly or indirectly affect us. May be you are thinking it is the responsibility of the governments to ensure that children in their respective countries are not abused. Very true, but should we the people not also think and act to make life better. I have realize that every time an issue of child abuse arises, the common response is ,suggestions on what the government and other organizations should do ,or what their parents should have done or should be doing. There is rarely any suggestion on how we can come together and think the problem out.no suggestions on how we can come together to help the victims and their families and insist that the rules and regulations about child abuse are enforced and relevantly help enforce them. Start by doing what is necessary, then what is possible and before long you will be doing what is impossible.

We’re not to blame others for how it started.

But we’re the ones to end it! Where we live may be far away

But we all are still connected!

When you laugh somebody’s crying;

While you live somebody’s dying.

See, a little girl or boy is harmed,

So won’t you hold them in your arms?

When we all see humanity,

That’s when we will all live in harmony.

Can you imagine? Come on let's see...

All around the world-LET IT BE!

Everybody lending a hand.

Already know that together we can!

Just imagine love running free...

All around the world LET IT BE!

If we take what we have and share it-

Those of us, who can spare it,

Take a little and give it away,

So many lives hang in the balance.

So go beyond the way you’re feeling;

You know the road to hope is giving!

Let tomorrow measure today. (Mary Mary).