Final exams mark the end of the academic calendar. Today I am holding my final exams.
For someone who has been a student a larger part of her life, it is interesting being on “the other side”. However in a way it is paradoxically quite similar. I mean, I have studied too for this, putting together an exam is not that easy. Also, I am feeling a wee bit nervous (will questions be understood? Will they all remember to come to Lecture Hall 4 and 5? Will the exam booklets be enough?).
Of course, I will not be taking the exam, but spend two hours perfecting the grading rubric.
So, I guess the biggest difference between being a lecturer and a student is when the students walk out of the lecture hall at 3 PM today, their semester is over, but I still have a week of grading to do…
Recently a World War II veteran and former teacher reached headline news in Ghana (and the world through CNN) as he graduated from business school at the ripe age of ninety-nine!
In February 99-year-old World War II veteran and former teacher, Akasease Kofi Boakye Yiadom, graduated from the Presbyterian University College Business School in Abetifi, Ghana.
The elderly graduate was featured on CNN’s Inside Africa programme, and he took the opportunity to call on fellow graduates to be loyal and not join the brain drain.
“If it is a scant pay you have to accept it, because it is the government’s money that has been used to educate you,” he said. “If you have finished school and passed your degree, you have to stay in Ghana and serve Ghana.”
There needs to be a lateral, more diversified strategy for funding of the African universities. Looking overseas for funding instruments, reducing the administrative burden through capacity building and turning to local industry to offer consultancies are the main points offered as a solution, by Nordling. Read the whole insightful article Lateral Thinking for Research Funding.
“I’ve always wanted to teach. I grew up in that kind of environment. I started teaching at a very young age, assembling the kids in the neighbourhood and teaching and so it’s always been something I wanted to do”
The women interviewed were all gainfully employed and Dr Linda Darkwa, currently working with the Ghanaian military service, said:
“My work focuses on peace and security. Even though I work basically on African issues, I also look at national issues”.
Ghana, just as many other African nations, has a major problem with educating enough lecturers for her rapidly growing universities. As an example, University of Ghana with a undergraduate student body of 34 000 graduated only 10 PhD’s earlier this year! See the Vice-Chancellor’s report.
I commend Joy FM for inspiring the public by holding up these positive examples of young Ghanaian women who are among the few to take on the academic challenge of this country.
I had it all planned; a bunch of happy friends relaxing on the beach over the three day weekend. Telling stories, eating lazy meals and playing games in the water. A drink in the sunset, a song by crickets and an early morning walk on the beach before the sun rises too high and hot.
As it stood clear to me that the others couldn’t go, I disappointedly told myself it’d be just another hot, boring and event less weekend at home. *sigh*
And then I thought, why not go anyway?
I remembered when a friend told me she had gone to the movies all by herself. Why? Because she wanted to go. So if she could go to the movies alone, why could I not go to the beach? I have now packed my swim suit, swim T-shirt, sun dress and umbrella. I carefully chose four unread novels from my book case and am feeling quite good!
But I know that the beach fright will come soon. That eerie feeling will come as I drive out there, as I check in, as I put my toes in the sand.
Will I be able to enjoy alone when all others are in company?
Surprisingly, there are a lot of cool young Swedish people in Ghana.
I say “surprisingly” only because Sweden and Swedes do not really have any strong ties to Ghana; no embassy, weak colonial connections, some mining business, but nothing major. Of course it is not surprising Swedes go south – where else would we go?
Since almost two years I know Maya Maame, a Swedish/Ghanaian blogger. A few weeks ago I wrote about two Swedish DJ’s coming to Ghana (on their blog you currently get a teaser to their mix tape Gold Coast Rising!), but now it has exploded and I have also met engineers, business women, students, IT professionals, diplomats and a shipping agent!
To keep track of all these adventurous, beautiful and fun (the much missed irony, mostly) Swedish folks I started a Facebook group: Ghanasvenskar. If you speak Swedish, understand the concept “fika” and you are in Ghana, you are welcome!
Pic: Some Ghanaians and a Swede in Sigtuna, Sweden.
“While many Ghanaian farmers struggle to fight poverty, the staple rice is American, water is sold through Dutch companies, telecommunications are run through the UK, and Ghanaian tomatoes fail to compete with heavily subsidied European counterparts. A vote in a national election alone is not enough to give Ghanaians a say in the processes that decide this.”
This is the motivation between the interesting initiative Give Your Vote offering UK citizens to give their vote to a citizen of Bangladesh, Afghanistan or – yes, thats right, to a citizen of Ghana!
How to vote in the UK elections?
First read up on the BBC election site, then learn more about the Give Your Vote /Use a Vote for Ghana initiative and finally, vote by text message! Text your name, location, and party of choice (LABOUR, CONSERVATIVE or LIBERAL DEMOCRAT) to +233241561918 or visit a UK election centre in Accraon 30th April.
I thought I’d promote this lovely competition, Design for the First World – in short, Dx1W, because it is witty, spot on and relevant. By addressing First World problems and speaking to professionals in developing countries, it is directly opposite to so much else I see. The more traditional approach, like the 10 ideas for Africa I wrote about the other week is so much more common.
So this is exciting! I know I’d spend too much time explaining it, so let me just give you the information in original:
“Dx1W has proclaimed 2010 International Year of the First World in Need, and has defined four main areas to address:
– Food Production and Eating Disorders,
– Aging Population and Low Birth rate,
– Immigration and Integration to Society,
– Sustainability and Overconsumption.
Furthermore, one of the major aims of the Year will be to demonstrate the beneficial effects of cultural diversity. We want to recognize the importance of transfers and exchanges between cultures through implicit or explicit dialogue that underlines how cultures and civilizations are interlinked and contribute to the progress of humankind.”
Ok, some good topics and progress of humankind. Sounds good! Then the organizers of Dx1W go on on a little rant on “solutions” from the west which I think is well deserved, although I feel “pay back” might be taking it one step too far – aid or solutions most often has a good intention behind it (?). Similarily, I think this competition should be done with a helpful attitude and not as a frantic “pay back” attack.
“Our fellows in the first world often come to visit and give us their well intentioned but often very problematic “solutions”. We thought, why don’t we pay back? Dx1W is a competition for designers, artists, scientists, makers and thinkers in developing countries to provide solutions for First World problems.
Deadline May 30st, 2010 11:59 p.m. EST”
All this is just the beginning. For more inspiration, read the Dx1W Blog.
What do you think? Is this just the first initiative, of many to come, to help the First World? A silly prank? An idea that has your full support?
On BBC we could hear how the Kenyan flower industry was suffering from the recent Icelandic volcano outbreak leaving an ashcloud over Europe which hinders aviation. So what are the consequences in Ghana?
When searching for information it first it seemed like 22 Americans stranded was the main effect, but as I have myself heard of three people being caught up in this mess (one in London going to Ghana, one in Ghana going to Sweden and one from Ghana going to Oslo but getting caught at his overlay destination…) I figured this could not be all. Also, just like Kenya, Ghana is an exporter of fresh items like pineapple, papaya, mango, chillies and heavily intertwined with Europe for other business too.
Clearing and exporting agents of the Ghanaian exporters handling the exports, declined to talk to the Times, saying they had not been authorized to do so.
I really do not understand why they could not comment on the effects, however, this might explain why so little has been heard about the consequences of the volcanic ash cloud in Ghana.
For the environment, it might be a good thing though, see above visualization from Information is Beautiful comparing the emissions from the volcano and the planes…
If you have any ideas on how to improve the continent, now is the time to put them on paper. UNESCO is calling for “ideas” to be presented in Paris in mid-June, see this call for 10 ideas for Africa.
The way to go about is it to choose a topic (UNESCO have provided the 10 to chose from, see below) and brainstorm out of there. I was most interested in Topic 1, 2 and 3 as they relate to my interests – new information technologies, policy and leadership, migration.
Each proposal is expected to develop one idea which would amplify the positive effects and reduce, or contain, the negative impacts of the major trends observed in Africa on one of the 10 following topics:
Topic 1: Economy and Development (Environment, Food Security, New Information and Communication Technologies…)
Topic 2: Governance, Policy, Institutions, Leadership
Topic 3: Regional Integration, Population, Migration, Urbanization
Topic 4: Cultural Identities (Languages, Religions…)
Topic 5: Youth
Topic 6: Human Rights, Gender and Justice
Topic 7: Diaspora
Topic 8: Peace, Security and Conflict
Topic 9: Health, Education and Social Development
Topic 10: International Relations
It seems like the perk for writing down your idea in less than 1000 words is the trip to Paris. Yeah, and a venue for spreading your BEST IDEA for THE CONTINENT!
Deadline is April 30th 2010.
My favorite tree in Ghana is the Flamboyant (Delonix Regia) that periodically turns in to a huge, red bouquet.
Surprisingly, there are a lot of cool young Swedish people in Ghana.
I thought I’d promote this lovely competition, Design for the First World – in short, Dx1W, because it is witty, spot on and relevant. By addressing First World problems and speaking to professionals in developing countries, it is directly opposite to so much else I see. The more traditional approach, like the 10 ideas for Africa I wrote about the other week is so much more common.
This is my plan for the end of the week. Will I see you there?