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Academia Grades Not Guarantee Of Success

By Kenneth Gyamerah
Opinion Author: Kenneth Gyamerah
FEB 25, 2017 LISTEN
Author: Kenneth Gyamerah

On Friday 24th February, 2017, it was reported by www.ultimatefmonline that, an 18 year old student of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology,Ghana, Adwoa Agyarkwa Anyimadu-Antwi, a daughter of the ruling New Patriotic Party Member of Parliament for Asante Akyem Central, has committed suicide by hanging.

According to the report made by the Ultimatefmonline.com ,the deceased left a note which reads "sorry for disappointing you mom and dad "

It can’t be said with certainty what motivated the suicide but sources at KNUST campus say she failed one of her courses and couldn’t bear the shame and hence the suicide.

This is not the first time this incident is happening.

On February 14,2014 ,three (3) years down the lane, a level 100 student at the Department of Basic Education of the University of Education Winneba committed suicide because he failed three courses.

As a Global Youth Ambassador for education change by the World at School, a charity in the UK, and a teacher by training, I am lugubriously saddened to witness such an acerbic incident.

I authoritatively don't understand why some parents and Ghanaians at large still consider the marks of academic scores as a conventional assessment of success.. I barely don't know why we called ourselves as God-fearing country but we have tied destinies to academia scores

It is very sad and a big shame to our myopic thinking.

Come to think of it ,may be her parents have been mouth-lashing her for failing a subject during her basic and secondary education. It's high time we instrumentally dissociate success or destiny from academia marks on paper.

You barely hear such news elsewhere except Ghana which considers success as *a person who can score an 'A' in a rote memorization examination which only appreciate knowledge based level and leave the rest of the domains of Educational objectives according to Benjamin Bloom's taxonomy of Education. oh !" Ewurade b3gye steer no" to wit God should take the steerling wheel.

Going forward, I think Ghana's
education system which encourage rote memorization of facts to assess performance to the neglect of skill acquisition has woefully failed. It's time for policy makers and stakeholders to stop the lip service they are rendering and immediately call for a review.There should be proper assessment of students which will cater for their holistic development.

Also, parents should understand that, grades don't necessarily depict the true performance of a child. I have seen third class and pass graduates changing the world.Bill Gates, the world's richest man didn't have first class in computer science, most of the richest entrepreneurs in Ghana currently didn't have tertiary education.

Parents should not be too rigid on their wards if they don't make good grades.

Moreover, the universities should make good use of the online portals system which allows students to have access to their results without any third party involvement. Instead of posting them on the notice boards.

Last but not least, the Guidance and counselling unit should be strengthened in all the various levels of our education system.

By strengthening, I think during orientations and other programmes, the units should inculcate stress management tips, and other stories of people which shows that, grades alone is not enough to become successful so that, students will not be too grades driven.

By Kenneth Gyamerah.
+233245098416

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