1. Facts About Schools in Ghana Only 52 percent of children reach the sixth grade; of those, only 23 percent become proficient in English, Ghanas official language and the main language of instruction. Ghana has over 15,000 primary schools, 7,000 junior secondary schools, 700 senior secondary schools, 25 training colleges, 30 technical institutions and over 10 public and private universities. Entrance to universities is by examination following completion of senior secondary school.

2. Teaching In Ghana A major negative factor on the quality of teaching in Ghana is the reliance on 24,000 untrained teachers in rural and underserved areas. 37% of Ghanas primary school level teachers do not meet national minimum standards for teaching. The current student to teacher ratio is 200 students for every 1 teacher, making it very difficult to be an effective teacher. The teachers starting salary is $260/month

3. Curriculum of Schools in Ghana Primary School - 6 years –Learn the basic core curriculum: math, science, social studies, language arts, reading. –The sole official language of instruction throughout the Ghanaian educational system is English. Junior High School - 3 years –At the JHS, English, Mathematics, Social Studies, and Integrated Science including Agricultural Science, a Ghanaian language, Technical, Vocational, Information and Communication.

4. Curriculum of Schools in Ghana Senior High School - 4 years –English Language, Integrated Science, Mathematics, and Social Studies. Each student also takes three or four Elective subjects, chosen from one of seven groups: Sciences, Arts (social sciences and humanities), Vocational (visual arts or home economics), Technical, Business, or Agriculture. University Bachelor's Degree - 4 years –universities offer most of the internationally accepted degrees –Grading system: 80-100% is an A and a C is considered failing –The only similarity between our grading systems is that they use a GPA as a way of assessing if a student is passing or failing

5. Education in Ghana Over 95% of Ghanas children are in school In 2007 the literacy rate was 65% with 71.7% males being literate and 58.3% of females being literate. Highest school enrollment rate in all of Africa. Instruction in Ghana is in English

6. Challenges in Education Importance is placed more on work outside of school such as in the fishing industry. Pressure is put on the students at a young age to provide for their families or villages. Corruption in the educational system has left approximately 470,000 Ghanian children without the opportunity to go to school. Corruption has also led to the inability for schools to attain adequate and up to date school supplies, the ability to build new schools and properly train teachers. Computers are sparse in schools but the government has recognized the importance of technology in education. There is a gap between what the government acknowledges needs to be done regarding education and what changes actually occur.

7. Primary and Secondary schools in Ghana Funding has varied between 28% and 40% of the governments annual budget in the past decade. Most Ghanaians have access to primary and secondary schools. The ratio of females to males in the educational system in Ghana is 1:0.96.

8. Colleges & Universities Similar to United States in format Attendance much lower Accepted to school based on W.A.S.S.C.E. performance Public vs. Private Schools -6 National Public Universities - ~40+ Private Institutions -Technical Schools

9. Degrees Offered Offer most universally accepted degrees –Bachelors Degrees –Masters Degrees –Doctoral Degree

10. Special Education

11. Free Spirits Not Human Fairy Spirit Snake Parents have been cursed because of wrong doings Special Needs Children and the Stigma

12. What about the children with physical and mental needs?

13. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIndU1WMWL0 There is Hope for these Children! New Horizons Special School in Ghana The Ghanaian government has promised that ALL SCHOOLS will offer an INCLUSIVE EDUCATION for ALL CHILDREN by 2015.