Adelaide Quartey-Perbi, teacher at a Methodist school in Mampong village

Until the 1970s, Ghana had one of the most highly developed education systems in West Africa. It declined in 1975, with the rest of the economy. Currently, 76 per cent of males and 54 per cent of females can read and write.

The introduction of school fees has led to a decline in school enrolment. Added to this, district authorities and parent-teacher associations, which now have more responsibility for education, impose their own additional charges, which some parents simply cannot afford. The government aims to reallocate more of the annual budget towards basic education and aims to get every child into some form of schooling by 2005.

Ghana has several higher education institutions, including four major universities. There are also six polytechnics and 38 teacher training colleges.

education | Ghana virtual journey home page | On the Line home page

Photo for Oxfam GB by Penny Tweedie