From: Antoinette, O'Reilly Senior High School
Interview Date: 06/22/2018
During the 11th Annual Lady Chief Justice's Mentoring Programme, I had the opportunity to interview Antoinette, a student at O'Reilly Senior High School in Accra. An extremely sweet and bright girl, Antoinette was eager to be interviewed and very forthcoming in her answers.
As we sat on a flight of stairs outside of a courthouse building, Antoinette shared with me her thoughts on education, stating that without it, no one would know what their "God-given talents" are or what their next steps in life should be. On a personal level, she attributed her own education as being responsible for helping her manage her time, discovering what she is able to able to accomplish, and allowing her to set goals for her future, such as becoming a lawyer. For Antoinette, the Mentoring Programme was especially impactful for this reason, as it placed her in a courtroom setting and exposed her to the type of environment that aims to work in later in life.
When I asked her if she felt that gender impacted her education at O'Reilly, Antoinette promptly replied no, and that each of her classmates respect each other and are treated equally by their teachers regardless of gender. She praised her school's recreational programs for their ability to engage students in all aspects. For examples of this, she cited their sports programs and talent shows as providing positive experiences for the students. She did, however, express her wishes for better facilities at the school of a higher quantity, stating that some students - particularly those interested in STEM or visual arts - are unable to to explore their interests because of a lack of a science lab or art department at the school.
Still, when asked if she believes that she is acquiring a "proper" education and how hers compares to that of her peers around the country, Antoinette answered that her own education is somewhat privileged. When comparing her situation to that of students around the city and in more rural areas, Antoinette felt that the dedication of her teachers and the close relationships that they build with students is not the reality for all students, who may even have teachers that "don't show up at all".
In terms of religion as a factor in her education, she said that it effects her "in a way"; though O'Reilly Senior High School is government run, they offer elective classes like Christian Religious Studies that discuss topics of religion. According to Antoinette, this classroom environment can sometimes be contentious when Muslim students are enrolled, inciting deep theological debates. I found this to be interesting, given similar statements from students at GLISS who stated that they appreciated being able to openly and freely act within their faith.
As far as who should receive the most education, Antoinette firmly answered that everyone should be educated equally, as education translates to business and the workforce later in life, which is often mixed. She also believes that equal education is necessary in order to create cooperation and understanding between genders and to place them on an equal platform in order to make effective change. For this reason, Antoinette expressed that she'd like to stay in school forever; even after earning a law degree and practicing law, she hopes to continue her studies and never stop learning, even about other professions.
In Antoinette's opinion, Ghana places a low emphasis on education, especially in rural areas. She's not sure if students all over the country are being allowed access to the kinds of resources needed to push them, and hopes that that can change in the future. She emphasized the importance of child education for girls, specifically because of its ability to empower women and change the outcomes of their futures.
Her message for US? We are all humans. . . though different in our backgrounds, it is important for us to mix and mingle and for developed, Western countries - particularly the U.S. - to pay more attention to other cultures and to "give Ghana a try".
During the 11th Annual Lady Chief Justice's Mentoring Programme, I had the opportunity to interview Antoinette, a student at O'Reilly Senior High School in Accra. An extremely sweet and bright girl, Antoinette was eager to be interviewed and very forthcoming in her answers.
As we sat on a flight of stairs outside of a courthouse building, Antoinette shared with me her thoughts on education, stating that without it, no one would know what their "God-given talents" are or what their next steps in life should be. On a personal level, she attributed her own education as being responsible for helping her manage her time, discovering what she is able to able to accomplish, and allowing her to set goals for her future, such as becoming a lawyer. For Antoinette, the Mentoring Programme was especially impactful for this reason, as it placed her in a courtroom setting and exposed her to the type of environment that aims to work in later in life.
When I asked her if she felt that gender impacted her education at O'Reilly, Antoinette promptly replied no, and that each of her classmates respect each other and are treated equally by their teachers regardless of gender. She praised her school's recreational programs for their ability to engage students in all aspects. For examples of this, she cited their sports programs and talent shows as providing positive experiences for the students. She did, however, express her wishes for better facilities at the school of a higher quantity, stating that some students - particularly those interested in STEM or visual arts - are unable to to explore their interests because of a lack of a science lab or art department at the school.
Still, when asked if she believes that she is acquiring a "proper" education and how hers compares to that of her peers around the country, Antoinette answered that her own education is somewhat privileged. When comparing her situation to that of students around the city and in more rural areas, Antoinette felt that the dedication of her teachers and the close relationships that they build with students is not the reality for all students, who may even have teachers that "don't show up at all".
In terms of religion as a factor in her education, she said that it effects her "in a way"; though O'Reilly Senior High School is government run, they offer elective classes like Christian Religious Studies that discuss topics of religion. According to Antoinette, this classroom environment can sometimes be contentious when Muslim students are enrolled, inciting deep theological debates. I found this to be interesting, given similar statements from students at GLISS who stated that they appreciated being able to openly and freely act within their faith.
As far as who should receive the most education, Antoinette firmly answered that everyone should be educated equally, as education translates to business and the workforce later in life, which is often mixed. She also believes that equal education is necessary in order to create cooperation and understanding between genders and to place them on an equal platform in order to make effective change. For this reason, Antoinette expressed that she'd like to stay in school forever; even after earning a law degree and practicing law, she hopes to continue her studies and never stop learning, even about other professions.
In Antoinette's opinion, Ghana places a low emphasis on education, especially in rural areas. She's not sure if students all over the country are being allowed access to the kinds of resources needed to push them, and hopes that that can change in the future. She emphasized the importance of child education for girls, specifically because of its ability to empower women and change the outcomes of their futures.
Her message for US? We are all humans. . . though different in our backgrounds, it is important for us to mix and mingle and for developed, Western countries - particularly the U.S. - to pay more attention to other cultures and to "give Ghana a try".
'Til Next Time,
Sydney
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| Antoinette, SHS Student |
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