Are Teachers to Blame for the Fallen Standards in Education in Ghana?

ARE TEACHERS TO BLAME FOR THE FALLEN STANDARDS IN EDUCATION IN GHANA?
Education in the general sense is any act or experience that has a formative effect on the mind, character, or physical ability of an individual. In its technical sense, education is the process by which society deliberately transmits its accumulated knowledge, skills, and values from one generation to another. One of the purposes of education is to replace an empty mind with an open one, to prepare the future of individual or any group of individuals. Therefore, the future of any society depends on how well the foundation is laid. ‘If we want to create a workplace that values idealism, human connection and real in depth learning, we will have to create it ourselves '. Peter Block (1971) Mr. Block was arguing on the basics that, a good standard of education can be achieved if we create it ourselves. Hence our stance, teachers are to be blame for the fallen standards of education in our schools and colleges.
First and foremost, one cannot deliver any academic material or content correctly if one does not have the necessary qualification required to deliver in that chosen subject area. Most of the teachers in our schools and colleges do not have the requisite qualifications needed. Some are teaching because they have run out of options and turn to teaching as a last resort or worse, use it as transitional occupation. They then see that the only way out is to teach because they can get something out of it. Hence most of them are teaching courses which they are not trained or qualified to teach. For example, a teacher has his or her degree in mathematics but he or she would be found teaching English. This is an absurd situation. What do you think he or she would be teaching the students? Recent investigations have shown that pupils in the Northern region performed woefully in the BECE as compared with pupils in the Upper East and West regions. According to the Northern Regional Minister, the region scored 46.6 per cent pass in 2006, 42.5 per cent in 2007, 40.4 per cent in 2008 and 39.6 per cent in 2009. This was attributed to the unqualified teachers teaching our children. In one school it was found out that a JHS dropout was teaching a whole school (Daily Guide, 2010). What do you expect from an unqualified teacher like him? You will agree that he would perform woefully.
Moreover,most teachers of today are either under skilled or possess no teaching skills. The output of students depends on how the knowledge was imparted which greatly affects their performance. This most importantly, hinges on effective teaching skills and other methods of effective impartation of their chosen subjects.Teachers who are found with the required qualifications are unable to produce the desired outputs expected of them. They are either immature or lack the experience to perform. Teaching is like an art, it requires good methods or ways to produce fine results. If a teacher wants to come out as a fine artist, he must use good methods to teach his students. Methods like practical demonstrations, case studies, and group discussions. Other educators believe that the use of technology while facilitating learning to some degree is not a substitute for educational methods that bring out critical thinking and spark deeper desires to learn. A renowned researcher Elvis H. Bostwick conducted a quantitative research on 3,920 middle schools for a period of three years and their Tennessee State Achievement scores in Math, Science, Reading and Social Studies. The study divided students on the basis of whether they had hands-on trained teachers over the three-year period addressed by the study. Students who had a hands-on trained science teacher for one or more years had statistically higher standardized test scores in science, math and social studies. For each additional year of being taught by a hands-on trained teacher, the student 's grades increased. Yes! It is very important that teachers develop their teaching skills so as to produce fine results.
Also, dedication is a tool that ensures good output from every individual and teachers are not exempted. Teachers have the power to inspire, through their attitudes, actions, and even through the lessons or activities they engage students in. Although many teachers possess this potential, only some stand out in our minds as truly great and dedicated teachers. There are many qualities of a great and dedicated teacher however; there is one common quality which all great teachers possess—an unshakable passion for their work. A dedicated teacher should have the necessary command over the subject matter he or she teaches. This way he or she can be comfortable while explaining things. Teachers who are dedicated to their profession often have a full understanding of the subject matter and are able to help students understand, by explaining concepts thoroughly and being able to answer all questions accurately. The opposite is found in our schools and colleges. Teachers come unprepared and unable to teach in the way they are supposed to teach. “All they want is just to kill time in the classroom; wait for the bell to ring”, said one student. This act surely does not show dedication.
Lastly, lack of motivation of teachers is another underlying factor for the fallen standards in education in our colleges and schools. Due to insufficient funds from the government, the teachers are not motivated to teach. They end up teaching in two schools or more just to raise some supplementary income to support their families. Some of them also go on strikes and stop coming to class altogether leaving the students to their own fate. This action harms the students in the long run. In Lagos State University (Nigeria) teachers went on strike. This hindered the graduation of some students. Some spent six years doing a course which is suppose to last for four years. Just imagine the stress and the hardships this creates for students and parents.
In conclusion, lack of requisite qualifications, lack of teaching skills, dedication of teachers and lack of motivation of teachers are few of many factors that account for why teachers are to blame for the fallen standard in education. The future of students depends on teachers, the future of our nation also depends on them; Hence they should be well nurtured. They should always strive to ensure that the education of posterity is not left in jeopardy.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
• DR. Edward Badu.(2005). Quantity surveying education in Ghana, p.4, 5, 6.
• Eyiah Joe .k. (2011, March 5), Are Teachers in Ghana Being Unreasonable?, GhanaWeb.
• GHANA NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF TEACHERS (GNAT) .( March 9, 2011 ),Proposal on Negotiation of Categories 2&3 Allowances for the Teaching Staff of the Ghana Education Service. www.google.com
• Elvis H. Bostwick ,(2006). Practical Teaching.

Bibliography: • DR. Edward Badu.(2005). Quantity surveying education in Ghana, p.4, 5, 6. • Eyiah Joe .k. (2011, March 5), Are Teachers in Ghana Being Unreasonable?, GhanaWeb. • GHANA NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF TEACHERS (GNAT) .( March 9, 2011 ),Proposal on Negotiation of Categories 2&3 Allowances for the Teaching Staff of the Ghana Education Service. www.google.com • Elvis H. Bostwick ,(2006). Practical Teaching.