Most educators refuse to take jobs in underserved areas because of the poor living circumstances there.
However, TV3 reposts that Mensah Kwame, a teacher at Lonpe MA Primary School in the Nanumba North District of the Northern Region, disagrees.
Mensah Kwame, a 36-year-old teacher, sees potential in rural students despite the obvious obstacles.
It’s a lot of work being a teacher, but it’s much more so when you’re the principal.
To get to school on time on his motorcycle, he would have to travel an enormous distance. When this mode of transportation is not available, he may have to improvise.
To get to his destination, he would have to swim across the River Dakar after being provided with a lift for 9 kilometres by a Good Samaritan who was coming from the hospital with his wife.
These difficulties are exacerbated by the absence of necessary resources like furnishings and course materials.
Mensah Kwame’s connection with rural schools began when he completed college in 2009 – he has since moved from one school to another – and admits teaching at Lonpe is frustrating as it is dangerous.
“Teaching in rural communities is not an easy task especially as I have to swim across this river every day to get to my school. My family is very worried,” he said.
“The pupils are at a huge disadvantage because I have to teach all the classes from Basic One to Six and this is stressful.”
Many experts in the field of education have maintained a disparity in funding between urban and rural regions, despite the need to reevaluate the results of this policy.
Kofi Asare, director general of Africa Education Watch in Ghana, has been very active in this field.
It is now, in his opinion, that decisive action must be demanded about rural schooling if any improvement is to be made.
In 2021, more than 42,000 educators quit the field, according to a poll done by his organization.
According to statistics compiled by the National Center for Education Research, at least 10,000 educators quit their posts annually.
Especially in underserved rural areas, this circumstance has a lasting effect on both the educator and the student.