Journalism

My friend Renie, from my Wheaton High School days, said recently, “I’m addicted to your blog. We think you should write everyday!” Well thanks, Renie for the compliment (Renie never did have a very exciting life;) ) but the blog is slowly becoming my ‘albatross’.. I worry when the two week mark approaches and I don’t have a tale to tell or sometimes I have 5 tales to tell and can’t choose. So two more months of this, faithful readers, and then I’m back to numbers!

My trip home was great. Pam graduated from UVA in the cold drizzle and had a muddy walk down the lawn. She seemed to enjoy the weekend immensely with champagne, family, friends and champagne. She graduated exactly 30 years minus 2 days after her Dad and I did, awww.Pam was a Foreign Affairs major with concentrations in African and Latin American Studies and is fluent in Spanish. She graduated 'with distinction' ....any job offers? :)


While I was home Obama announced that he would visit Ghana this summer (July 10,11). I had a flurry of excited e-mails from Ghana and my friend Rebecca saved me the cover of the paper. Everyone from taxi drivers to newscasters brings up the visit -they are proud and honored and excited! Now, if only I can somehow weasel out a ticket to something…..

Speaking of newspapers. There are several papers in Ghana and newsstands are popular. This past weekend while waiting at the main desk of a hotel, my eye caught the title of an article in one of the papers. “4 years of SHS could deny girls husbands”

Before I go into the article I need to give you some background-This is the last year, supposedly, for the 3 year Senior High School model (10,11,12) that is used throughout Ghana. The government has instituted a change to 4 years for Senior High School (SHS) thus creating a sort of 13th grade. Next year will be the first year that no one graduates and the year is added. I thought this was a final decision but I’ve recently heard more discussion (improve the quality not quantity, the schools aren’t large enough etc…)most people I hear, however, seem to support the change. Apparently there was some conference last week where people aired views.

OK the article: I’ll quote when possible-including typos and grammar issues of course :) Here are the highlights:

“In an interesting twist to the raging debate on what the appropriate duration for the SHS should be, the Minister of Women and Children’s Affairs, Akua Sena Dansua, interestingly a woman, says adopting the proposed four-year system will make it difficult for female students to find husbands.

“Dansua , a widely read columnist on women and children’s issues as well as advocate on child and women rights, made the shocking revelation in her contribution to the debate [on the duration of SHS] on a citiFM current affairs programme yesterday.”
The article continues to say Dansua “ believes that adopting the four year system will only extend the problem of girls.

“Coming from a region where children culturally marry young, the opinion of the Minister may have been shaped by the trend. [in her interview]…she indicated that she intimated that the longer girls stay in school, the more difficult it becomes for them to attract husbands, thereby making them objects of public ridicule.

“‘This has an effect on the girls. Most of our girls before they reach university are about 19 or 20, if they are unfortunate; by the time you graduate…you see that the men are running away from you.’

“She failed to cite evidence in terms of research or postulate on the way forward for creating a more decent society in which women would be the beneficiaries in terms of job, career and professional prospects.

“ ‘If we provide all that the teachers and the students need, the books, the science labs, you know, motivation(this means salary) for the teachers, (SHS) can only take two years. Four years is only extending the problems'she bemoaned."

“THE STATESMAN” Friday May 29, 2009

Well I hope you had the same 'huh?' moments as I did. There are about 24 Ministers(sort of like the cabinet) and they make up Parliament. This woman is not only a Minister but the one for Women! Sigh. Good thing though, most of the Ghanaians I’ve shown it to around here have the same feelings as I do!

It was 98 degrees in the shade at 9:30 AM today and my water seems to be out. Ah well, until next time!