From: Ghana Lebanon Islamic Secondary School - Location 2
Visit Date: 06/19/2018
Introduction
Ghana Lebanon Islamic Secondary School, or GLISS, is a mission school located in Accra, Ghana whose vision is to provide "the economic and political upliftment of the under privileged Muslim Community through education" (see: School Profiles). Operating under the Ghana Education Service's (GES) Curriculum, GLISS serves students from Primary School to Senior High School. I, however, spent the entirety of my time in the latter.
The day before I held my actual interviews, I visited the school to provide my letter of introduction from the UNFPA to the headmaster, Sumaila Mohammed. On this first trip, it was unclear to the driver who was taking me there that the main entrance to the school was through a business center, so instead we drove through a section of shanty houses and shops, parked across from the school, and traveled on foot across some train tracks to enter a big, green gate that stated largely "Welcome to GLISS". With directions, we reached Mr. Mohammed's office, where he invited us to sit and asked me the mission of my trip. He asked that I return the following morning for the actual interviews, and that I try to dress as closely to the female students as possible - meaning with long clothing and a covering of some kind for my head - as a sign respect for the Islamic culture of the school and for the students. Thus, I obliged.
Donned in the longest-sleeved shirt that I packed, slacks, and a scarf that I purchased at a market in Lagos, I returned the next day eager to interview students and teachers. My first encounter with a student came early; I hadn't quite tied my scarf correctly, and upon asking, a young lady offered to wrap it for me. She did so quickly and graciously added a pin to the scarf to make sure it held, complimenting my appearance in the scarf before scurrying away. Her sweet gesture made an excellent impression on me, and I wish I'd had the chance to interview her.
After this, Mr. Mohammed brought five girls to me - all in SHS Level 2 and 16 or 17 years old - and led us to the library so that I could hold my interviews. Later, I would also interview two teachers, one male and one female, and Mr. Mohammed himself.
Student Interviews
Upon entering the library, I introduced myself to the girls and explained the purpose of the project to them, pulling the first volunteer, Halimatu, for her individual interview. One of the most forthcoming of the bunch, Halimatu expressed to me that she believes that education important specifically for the purpose of being literate, especially for girls; in Ghana, she said, the "superstition is that girls are meant for the kitchen"; literacy, in her opinion, gives them the tools to not only gain independence but also be able to supplement the work of their husbands. The issue of literacy is personal for her, as her father is illiterate but her mother is not, and her own education allows her to help her mother and sisters learn. She also shared that she serves as a tutor for other students on Sundays, and values her personal education because it makes her feel like a "genius".
In Halimutu's and the other four student interviews, it was clear that they believe and understand that education is a necessary tool for the achievement of goals. In the words of the second interviewee, Rukaiya, without it, "you are nothing". These girls have big dreams; Samira wants to be a lawyer and study outside of Ghana, while Kausarah wants to be a dentist, but also aspires to be an advocate for children and increase educational awareness. Both Latifa and Rukaiya want to be journalists, while Halimatu wants to be a gynecologist and is ready to embrace all of the years of education that come with it. Each of them considers GLISS to be setting them up well for their goals, citing close and productive relationships with teachers and good facilities at the school as some of it's most positive aspects and listing only the school fees as a negative.
One of the most interesting portions of each of the student interviews was all of their answers to the question, "As a girl, do you think that it is of more, less, or equal importance for your to be as educated as your male counterparts?". Without wavering, the girls unanimously believed that they should be more educated than their male classmates; Halimatu and Latifa relied on a saying that states "when you educate an man, you educate one, but when you educate a woman, you educate plenty", while Kausarah believes that women should be more educated in order to gain respect. For Samira, her answer relies on women being the "future" and Rukaiya relied on the fact that there are more females in Ghana than males, meaning that education for women could be a key factor in the progression of the country. With more roles to play in society - mother, daughter, homemaker, possible breadwinner - Rukaiya stated that it is necessary for women to receive more education.
After the individual interviews, I talked to the girls as a group and more casually, asking them in general about themselves and their dreams. I asked if they'd want to travel the world and they eagerly answered yes, creating a list of a dozen countries ranging from Australia to Qatar to India to the U.S. They also expressed interest in reading, debating, and singing, and two of them even sang me a song for fun before ending our time together.
Educator Interviews:
When I moved onto interviewing educators, the wealth of information overflowed. Mr. Ansah Kwaku George, an SHS English teacher, shared his eight years of experience working at GLISS as a Christian man, an experience that he he thinks has widened his perspective and taught him that he could work anywhere. In his opinion, education is the surest way to realize one's dreams and goals as well as the development of the country and its impact on human resources. Ms. Farida Mohammed, a SHS Level 1 Government teacher, added that she believes education is needed for any future endeavor, whether formal or informal. Even in trades, she said, education is absolutely necessary and its impact is big because it sets educated persons apart from those who only sit at home. From another perspective, Mr. Sumaila Mohammed stated education's importance on an individual level in regards to both personal knowledge and future employment opportunities.
Of her own education's impact on her interactions with students, Ms. Mohammed shared with me that she was the first female in her family to go to university, which forced her outside of her comfort zone and allowed her to impact her students through her own experience and sharing her story of self-motivation. Mr. Mohammed's response to the question of his own education veered more towards his own students; as he stated that he uses his own education as an example for students to try and reach his level or higher. In his role as Headmaster, he hopes to give students the opportunity to engage themselves and their own "talents" in ways that will allow them to be both creative and innovative. He spoke lengthily about his dreams of helping students make tangible, positive change in Ghana and in the world, and to make "things that are difficult to achieve easier to achieve".
On gender discrimination, the faculty members agreed with the girls that such a thing does not exist at GLISS; Mr. George, however, stated that he has heard reports of it happening elsewhere. Mr. Mohammed made clear to me that there is no educational policy in Ghana that allows gender discrimination, and that when it does happen, it is on a specific basis per teacher. When asked if one gender should be more educated than another, the answer was unanimously "no", though each of them added something else. Ms. Mohammed's answer is based on the notion that, just as has happened around the world on the matter of girls' education, if boys were being less educated, there would also be an uproar. Mr. George stated a firm no at first, but acknowledged that he "accepts" that females may need extra educational attention to transcend Africa's of ten patriarchal societies. Mr. Mohammed stated the same.
As far as one system of education being better than another, the answers varied; Ms. Mohammed leaned towards Western systems of education for their practicality, while both Mr. Mohammed and Mr. George believe in the Ghanaian government's system of education, despite the perception that foreign education is better. Mr. Mohammed stated that he believes the national curriculum is creative, strives to bring the best out of students, and is just as challenging as other systems. When asked if they think that Ghana should place more or less value on education, the answers varied again; both Mr. George and Mr. Mohammed believe that education deserves more of the government's attention, while Ms. Mohammed stated that she thinks they are doing well. Though he said the Ministry of Education places high value on education, Mr. Mohammed stated that they still have room to grow.
Review:
Though an Islamic school, overall the consensus from both students and educators is that religion does not effect their education system, outside of the fact that it allows Muslim students to pray at the right times during the day and to openly express their religion, as they might not be allowed to do in other, Christian-based mission schools. Additionally, Mr. Mohammed proudly stated the schools 3:1 female to male ratio, displaying the school's commitment to education Muslim girls in the area.
GLISS was a wonderful example of a school with a mission, trying to positively impact and improve the lives of their students. My visit not only showed me the passion of the students there to accomplish great things, but also of their teachers to help them do so. In the words of Mr. Mohammed, "as a school [they] are trying to contribute meaningfully to the total development of this country" through opportunities created by the school. With goals like theirs, I am so hopeful for Kausarah, Rukaiya, Halimatu, Samira, and Latifa, and I'm sure that the faculty at GLISS will do their best to help them succeed.
Introduction
Ghana Lebanon Islamic Secondary School, or GLISS, is a mission school located in Accra, Ghana whose vision is to provide "the economic and political upliftment of the under privileged Muslim Community through education" (see: School Profiles). Operating under the Ghana Education Service's (GES) Curriculum, GLISS serves students from Primary School to Senior High School. I, however, spent the entirety of my time in the latter.
The day before I held my actual interviews, I visited the school to provide my letter of introduction from the UNFPA to the headmaster, Sumaila Mohammed. On this first trip, it was unclear to the driver who was taking me there that the main entrance to the school was through a business center, so instead we drove through a section of shanty houses and shops, parked across from the school, and traveled on foot across some train tracks to enter a big, green gate that stated largely "Welcome to GLISS". With directions, we reached Mr. Mohammed's office, where he invited us to sit and asked me the mission of my trip. He asked that I return the following morning for the actual interviews, and that I try to dress as closely to the female students as possible - meaning with long clothing and a covering of some kind for my head - as a sign respect for the Islamic culture of the school and for the students. Thus, I obliged.
Donned in the longest-sleeved shirt that I packed, slacks, and a scarf that I purchased at a market in Lagos, I returned the next day eager to interview students and teachers. My first encounter with a student came early; I hadn't quite tied my scarf correctly, and upon asking, a young lady offered to wrap it for me. She did so quickly and graciously added a pin to the scarf to make sure it held, complimenting my appearance in the scarf before scurrying away. Her sweet gesture made an excellent impression on me, and I wish I'd had the chance to interview her.
After this, Mr. Mohammed brought five girls to me - all in SHS Level 2 and 16 or 17 years old - and led us to the library so that I could hold my interviews. Later, I would also interview two teachers, one male and one female, and Mr. Mohammed himself.
Student Interviews
Upon entering the library, I introduced myself to the girls and explained the purpose of the project to them, pulling the first volunteer, Halimatu, for her individual interview. One of the most forthcoming of the bunch, Halimatu expressed to me that she believes that education important specifically for the purpose of being literate, especially for girls; in Ghana, she said, the "superstition is that girls are meant for the kitchen"; literacy, in her opinion, gives them the tools to not only gain independence but also be able to supplement the work of their husbands. The issue of literacy is personal for her, as her father is illiterate but her mother is not, and her own education allows her to help her mother and sisters learn. She also shared that she serves as a tutor for other students on Sundays, and values her personal education because it makes her feel like a "genius".
In Halimutu's and the other four student interviews, it was clear that they believe and understand that education is a necessary tool for the achievement of goals. In the words of the second interviewee, Rukaiya, without it, "you are nothing". These girls have big dreams; Samira wants to be a lawyer and study outside of Ghana, while Kausarah wants to be a dentist, but also aspires to be an advocate for children and increase educational awareness. Both Latifa and Rukaiya want to be journalists, while Halimatu wants to be a gynecologist and is ready to embrace all of the years of education that come with it. Each of them considers GLISS to be setting them up well for their goals, citing close and productive relationships with teachers and good facilities at the school as some of it's most positive aspects and listing only the school fees as a negative.
One of the most interesting portions of each of the student interviews was all of their answers to the question, "As a girl, do you think that it is of more, less, or equal importance for your to be as educated as your male counterparts?". Without wavering, the girls unanimously believed that they should be more educated than their male classmates; Halimatu and Latifa relied on a saying that states "when you educate an man, you educate one, but when you educate a woman, you educate plenty", while Kausarah believes that women should be more educated in order to gain respect. For Samira, her answer relies on women being the "future" and Rukaiya relied on the fact that there are more females in Ghana than males, meaning that education for women could be a key factor in the progression of the country. With more roles to play in society - mother, daughter, homemaker, possible breadwinner - Rukaiya stated that it is necessary for women to receive more education.
After the individual interviews, I talked to the girls as a group and more casually, asking them in general about themselves and their dreams. I asked if they'd want to travel the world and they eagerly answered yes, creating a list of a dozen countries ranging from Australia to Qatar to India to the U.S. They also expressed interest in reading, debating, and singing, and two of them even sang me a song for fun before ending our time together.
Educator Interviews:
When I moved onto interviewing educators, the wealth of information overflowed. Mr. Ansah Kwaku George, an SHS English teacher, shared his eight years of experience working at GLISS as a Christian man, an experience that he he thinks has widened his perspective and taught him that he could work anywhere. In his opinion, education is the surest way to realize one's dreams and goals as well as the development of the country and its impact on human resources. Ms. Farida Mohammed, a SHS Level 1 Government teacher, added that she believes education is needed for any future endeavor, whether formal or informal. Even in trades, she said, education is absolutely necessary and its impact is big because it sets educated persons apart from those who only sit at home. From another perspective, Mr. Sumaila Mohammed stated education's importance on an individual level in regards to both personal knowledge and future employment opportunities.
Of her own education's impact on her interactions with students, Ms. Mohammed shared with me that she was the first female in her family to go to university, which forced her outside of her comfort zone and allowed her to impact her students through her own experience and sharing her story of self-motivation. Mr. Mohammed's response to the question of his own education veered more towards his own students; as he stated that he uses his own education as an example for students to try and reach his level or higher. In his role as Headmaster, he hopes to give students the opportunity to engage themselves and their own "talents" in ways that will allow them to be both creative and innovative. He spoke lengthily about his dreams of helping students make tangible, positive change in Ghana and in the world, and to make "things that are difficult to achieve easier to achieve".
On gender discrimination, the faculty members agreed with the girls that such a thing does not exist at GLISS; Mr. George, however, stated that he has heard reports of it happening elsewhere. Mr. Mohammed made clear to me that there is no educational policy in Ghana that allows gender discrimination, and that when it does happen, it is on a specific basis per teacher. When asked if one gender should be more educated than another, the answer was unanimously "no", though each of them added something else. Ms. Mohammed's answer is based on the notion that, just as has happened around the world on the matter of girls' education, if boys were being less educated, there would also be an uproar. Mr. George stated a firm no at first, but acknowledged that he "accepts" that females may need extra educational attention to transcend Africa's of ten patriarchal societies. Mr. Mohammed stated the same.
As far as one system of education being better than another, the answers varied; Ms. Mohammed leaned towards Western systems of education for their practicality, while both Mr. Mohammed and Mr. George believe in the Ghanaian government's system of education, despite the perception that foreign education is better. Mr. Mohammed stated that he believes the national curriculum is creative, strives to bring the best out of students, and is just as challenging as other systems. When asked if they think that Ghana should place more or less value on education, the answers varied again; both Mr. George and Mr. Mohammed believe that education deserves more of the government's attention, while Ms. Mohammed stated that she thinks they are doing well. Though he said the Ministry of Education places high value on education, Mr. Mohammed stated that they still have room to grow.
Review:
Though an Islamic school, overall the consensus from both students and educators is that religion does not effect their education system, outside of the fact that it allows Muslim students to pray at the right times during the day and to openly express their religion, as they might not be allowed to do in other, Christian-based mission schools. Additionally, Mr. Mohammed proudly stated the schools 3:1 female to male ratio, displaying the school's commitment to education Muslim girls in the area.
GLISS was a wonderful example of a school with a mission, trying to positively impact and improve the lives of their students. My visit not only showed me the passion of the students there to accomplish great things, but also of their teachers to help them do so. In the words of Mr. Mohammed, "as a school [they] are trying to contribute meaningfully to the total development of this country" through opportunities created by the school. With goals like theirs, I am so hopeful for Kausarah, Rukaiya, Halimatu, Samira, and Latifa, and I'm sure that the faculty at GLISS will do their best to help them succeed.
'Til Next Time,
Sydney
 |
| Mr. Sumaila Mohammed, Headmaster |
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