Education
-
School Feeding Programs: Lifelines or Loopholes?
By Aisha Savelugu, Northern Ghana — At 10:15 a.m., the clanging of metal pots echoes through the dusty courtyard of a rural primary school. It’s lunchtime, and a line of excited children snakes toward the open kitchen. For many of them, the plate of rice and beans they’re about to receive will be their only proper meal of the day. “If there is no food at school, I don’t eat until evening,” says 8-year-old Rahama, holding her tin bowl with both hands. The Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP), introduced in 2005, was designed to fight child hunger and boost school enrollment in underserved communities. Twenty years on, its impact is…
-
Why Parents Are Choosing Private Over Public Schools
Byline: By Jasmine Accra, Ghana — When 35-year-old Lydia Owusu enrolled her son Kobby in a private basic school in Adenta, she did so with mixed emotions. It meant cutting back on luxuries, skipping vacations, and sometimes borrowing money. “But I had no choice,” she says. “The public school near us had 60 children in one class, and the teacher barely knew their names.” Like Lydia, an increasing number of Ghanaian parents are opting for private schools — even in low-income communities — in search of smaller classes, tighter discipline, and better academic results. Once seen as a luxury for the elite, private education has become a mainstream response to…
-
When School Is Far: The Long Walk to Education
By Kwame Upper West Region, Ghana — Every weekday before dawn, 11-year-old Fuseini Wakil leaves his village barefoot, a frayed exercise book clutched in hand. His journey to school takes nearly an hour each way — through fields, across streams, and along dusty roads. “My feet hurt sometimes,” he says softly. “But I want to learn so I don’t end up like the men in the village who just dig and farm.” Across Ghana, thousands of children like Fuseini endure physically taxing and often dangerous treks just to access basic education. While policies on free and compulsory basic education exist on paper, the distance to school remains a stubborn barrier…
-
TikTok Teachers: How Social Media is Changing Learning
By Adoma Accra, Ghana — With just a ring light, a whiteboard, and a smartphone, 28-year-old teacher Isaac Mensah has become a minor celebrity among Ghanaian SHS students on TikTok. In 60-second videos, he simplifies complex math concepts, cracking jokes while solving equations. “People call me ‘Teacher TikTok’,” he says, laughing. “At first it was just a hobby, now I have over 50,000 followers — and some parents even pay me to tutor their children.” What began as entertainment has transformed into an educational revolution. Across Ghana and the continent, social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube are reshaping how young people learn, share knowledge, and access study support.…
-
From Classroom to Job Market: The Gap That Still Exists
By Nomako Cape Coast, Ghana — When 25-year-old Joseph Owusu graduated with a degree in business administration, he was filled with pride — and high hopes. “I thought I’d be in a corporate office by now,” he says, seated behind a kiosk where he currently sells airtime and soft drinks. “It’s been 18 months and not one job offer. I’ve applied to over 90 places.” Joseph’s story is all too familiar across Ghana: graduates armed with certificates, ambition, and mounting pressure — but facing a job market that doesn’t seem to need them. Despite national efforts to promote education, the pipeline between universities and employment remains broken. Experts call it…
-
Beyond the Books: The Real Cost of Tertiary Education in Ghana
By Jasmine Legon, Ghana — Under a corrugated-roof hostel near the University of Ghana, 22-year-old Maame Esi carefully scoops rice into containers for lunch orders. It’s 6:30 a.m., and her day as a food vendor is just beginning — well before lectures start at 10 a.m. “I have to hustle to stay in school,” she says. “My fees are paid, but there’s no money for anything else.” Maame is one of tens of thousands of Ghanaian university students navigating a complex web of tuition, housing, feeding, and social pressures. While headlines often focus on admission numbers and academic rankings, the untold story is what it really costs to survive and…