Fiifi Essandoh Writes: The Anchor Holds In Spite Of The Storm

Last week, we literally were surprised to hear of our two Ghanaian banks folding up. The bank of Ghana had to step in to absorb the workers. It was a major topic that was discussed on our airwaves. People made all sort of suggestions.

Others also felt, the leaders were "incompetent" in the running of the banks. Every person in helm of affairs had something to share and say about the "collapsed banks" especially the Central Bank of the country (Bank of Ghana). I was absolutely quiet and kept thinking, "was there no means that, these issues could have been resolved rather than coming into the broad day light?, Is there anything we can learn from these as a nation moving forward?"

We recall with pains some few years back how millions of cedis was lost in Brong Ahafo Region to some companies or fun clubs. They promised to give their contributors over 50% of their savings. They ended up taking the money of the ordinary Ghanaian away. This caused a lot of pain in the part of the country till today. Some contributors have still not recovered from the shock. The issue has died off but last week's event has brought that one in mind for me to write. These micro-finance that folded up were DKM, God is Love and Perfect Edge just to mention but a few.

Humbly put, as a nation we like the "blame game" than to fix the problem and make sure the problems of yesterday does not come again or re-surface tomorrow. We like to give concrete evidence and speak on issues but we will meet the same problems again. I walked by the road side of our capital city, Accra. It amazed me, the place people are selling were engulfed with filth. Everyone looked on and passed by but let there be flooding, journalist will move to the scenes and cover the stories. Journalists covering the stories will not bring the souls back. It rather shows how we are as a nation. We are not "pro-active", quick to speak but slow to act. We only arise when there is a problem and when we have to fix the problems, we leave it. Very sad, is that not it?

News are really good but what steps do we take to unreveil and follow the news to the later? Our journalist break the news but do they do due diligence till we get to the bottom of the issues affecting us?

A problem that I would be happier the journalist work on and give feedbacks periodically is "employment for the youth." It is really sad that, a nation like ours will see a graduate working and earning 100 - 500 Ghana cedis. The worse affected institution is some private schools. School shapes individual character and brings out the best in people. When a teacher impacting knowledge is given this salary and he or she is expected to deliver, what will happen? As a nation, let's begin to arise and think of tomorrow's leaders. When there is even enough jobs with support from our leaders, our graduates will be happier. Let's remember that, Ghana was really an industrial hub during Nkrumah's era. What happened along the lines that, today's graduate have to move from one place to the other with CVs and letters combing all over for jobs. The hard truth is, along the way we failed to be generational thinkers for our children unborn as Ghanaians.

I would humbly suggest that, employment be created for the youth (the abled men and women) to work for the nation to move forward.

Our schools, will never be complete without skilled, trained, committed, knowledgeable and hardworking teachers. Teachers are the foundations the nation is built. They were highly esteemed in the olden days. As soon as a teacher speaks, we honour and give attentive ears to whatever he or she told us. I remember very well when my teachers have meetings with parents and how each time they met, it was very educative and insightful.

Today, the teachers who are the "movers and shakers" of our world are given little or no attention to in our society. It came to light last week that, teachers will be required to write a licensing examination before they teach. It is really a step in a good direction since other professions do so. It will shapen and make them really knowledgeable. They will have mastery over their subject areas. However, examination alone will not be the remedy to effective teaching and learning outcomes thereby producing "innovative, smart and competitive" graduates who are ready to take up the world and solve problems.

Teachers need basic logistics in order for them to teach effectively. Government needs to provide for our teachers the text books, do in service training for them, make some teachers go to school to further their education as well as give them better conditions of service.

All professions boast but the teacher taught them all. By this, I mean if the teacher makes all professionals then, I would want to see the teacher smile on his or her way home. A teacher should be able to rob shoulders with colleagues in other professions. This will motivate the teacher enough to give his or her best in class.

Adding to what will make our education system better, I think effective monitoring and supervision from Ghana Education Service and regular upgrading of teachers, coupled with better remuneration will help the teachers to deliver.

I would recommend the monitoring and evaluation team of Ghana Education Service to be more pro-active in achieving the set goals for the country.

On the licensing of teachers, I think it is aloudable idea but a lot should be done before it comes to play. Will the examination be once? What is the nation expecting to achieve in the long run? Do we think only examination makes one a very good teacher?

I will suggest other things will be added to the examination. I recommend a teaching practice examination to be added to the licensing process and it should be written every year during the long vacation period.

I would recommend to government to engage all stakeholders in this good initiative and take their input into this policy. It is about teachers, so a broader consultation should be done.

I would recommend to government and stakeholders to critically examine the courses studied by the students and their impact to our society.

Also, the "rural" teacher should be equipped like the teachers in our cities and towns.

As for the closing time of students, I would recommend that because of the children, it can be extended to 3:00pm. Maintaining it at 2:40 in the afternoon will not be bad also.

Graduates teachers should be posted rather than for them to come out looking for schools to teach. Graduate nurses do not go round looking for health facilities to work and so the government should humbly fix this error by making all teachers write the licensing examination for postings.

On the "collapsed" banks, let's stop shifting blames and learn our lessons. Let's stop attacking personalities and let's look forward to the future learning from our mistakes yesterday.

My passionate appeal to Mr. President is that, let the one district one factory policy commence. The youth are eager, ready and prepared to work for Ghana to be a prosperous nation. They need work for the nation to bounce back to development. The youth working will curb down many social vices.

To my cherished teachers, let's embrace the change as this will make our profession regain it's prestige of old. I would suggest to our leaders to avail themselves to the National Teaching Council, Ghana Education Service and Government of Ghana to make meaningful contribution to this new policy, teachers' licensing examination.

Media please, break the news and get to the later of the stories. We would want Ghana to be the best nation ever.

God bless our homeland, Ghana.
Please, all suggestions to this article should be channelled to [email protected].

Thank you.