September 14, 2008
“I have left this experience with a smile on my face, conviction
in my words and power in my hands. I have never before felt so
motivated to promote change,” said Christine Abajian graduate
student in the D.A. World History program. All it took was an
interest in the way students are educated outside of the United
States to lead the Assistant Dean of the School of Education and
D.A. World History graduate student, Kelly Ronayne and her
classmate Christine Abajian to the West African country
of Ghana. The two traveled to the country bordering the Ivory
Coast, from June 30 to July 15, to conduct research comparing
school systems in the cities of Accra, Wa, Kumasi and Nandum to the
United States and returned with a whole new outlook on life.
Photo
Gallery
The research excursion was funded via generous support from the
University and the School of Education, and was both an educational
and enlightening experience that Ronayne says enabled her to learn
the importance of community, learning and civic mindedness, “I
realized that the things I used to complain about are insignificant
to what some of these children go through on a day to day basis. I
came back humbled” said Ronayne.
Ronayne and Abajian sought out to compare instructional and
pedagogical methods as well as curriculum used at the primary,
secondary and university levels. After visiting an elementary and
secondary school and one college, where they observed classes and
evaluated lesson plans, they concluded that there were several
thematic problems prevalent in Ghanaian education, including
funding of schools and infrastructure. When they sat in on a Social
Studies lesson, they learned that Ghana’s status as a Heavily
Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) has created problems regarding the
upgrading or improvement of basic infrastructure which in turn has
affected schools and learning resources available to schools and
teachers.
Another issue, prevalent in Ghanaian schools, is a lack of
qualified teachers, as well as a disparity between the number of
male and female students attending school. According to
Ghanaweb.com, Ghana has an overall literacy rate of 78.4%. 82.7% of
the male population is literate while the literacy rate for women
is 67.1%. Also, women make up only 20% of students in African
universities. “While education is highly prized, enrollment at
universities for people aged 20-24, is among the lowest in the
world,” explained Ronayne.
“A predominant difference between education in Ghana and the US
is that the United States is responsible for most funding via local
taxes whereas the burden of funding remains solely on the Ghana
national government. Also, the United States, unlike Ghana, does
not have to worry itself with basic infrastructure problems or
health care issues that can impede learning” reported Ronayne.
Abajian, also a high school social studies teacher at George W.
Hewlett High School in Long Island, NY, planned her current
curriculum based on her trip to Africa, “I believe I can instill in
my students the tools they need to make changes for future
generations. By sharing my stories of personal experience I know I
will spark in one of them, if not most of them, the fire I feel in
my belly to get out there and make a difference. Globally or
locally, big or small, we can all do something” said Abajian.
Ronayne and Abajian learned many things from their experience in
Ghana and would like the support of the University community to
continue their relationship with Ghana, “At one school we visited,
they asked if we could send rice, beans and books to help the
children continue with their schooling. Someone had
previously donated $3,000 which lasted for over 2 years to keep the
school going, but the money has run out” explained
Ronayne.
If anyone would like to donate books, notebooks and basic
foodstuffs to send to the school in Wa, please bring them to:
Kelly K. Ronayne
Assistant Dean
School of Education
Sullivan Hall, G9
718-990-2303