Hey there! 🌟
Today, we’re going on a super exciting adventure to understand what education is all about.
Are you ready? Let’s jump right into the world of learning together!
Learning Objective:
By the end of our adventure, you’ll know:
- what education is
- the different types of education we have (formal, semi-formal, informal education)
- and why education is super-duper important!
Come on! Let’s jump right into it.
You can Download and Listen to Audios that explain the concept in brief and simple terms
What is Education?
Imagine a classroom where a teacher imparts knowledge to his/her students with so much passionately….. 🤔 What do you think would be the general feel in such a class? Will students eagerly soak up every word? Will this help to nurture their skills and attitudes alongside intellect. Will learn new things?
🚀Education is like a magic journey that helps you grow smarter, kinder, and become more skilled.
Let’s pretend that every country is a human being, then Education would be the heart of each nation.
Yes, education is the heartbeat of every society.
It is a systematic process that shapes the minds, hearts, and hands of our learners.
This topic is going to take us on a journey to understand education in Ghana, a land where learning holds immense significance.
General Definition:
“Education is a systematic process through which a child or an adult acquires knowledge, experience, skills and sound attitude”.
⬆Take your time and Read this definition one more time👆.
Do you get the point?
This definition means that, education is a process. It is a “step-by-step” group of activities over a period. And after an individual has been taken through this process, before we can say the person has been EDUCATED, he/she must show signs that prove that he/she has indeed gained new knowledge.
What else? The person must gain new or enhanced EXPERIENCE. Lastly, an educated person must show that there has been improvement in his skills and attitudes or he has gained new ones.
That is why we expect that an educated person should exhibit some level of behavior different from his others non-educated counterparts.
Ok, so that is one definition. We can also define education as:
“the process of imparting or acquiring general knowledge, developing the powers of reasoning and sound judgment, and generally of preparing oneself or others intellectually for mature life”.
Here we see that, in education, the cognitive (mind), affective (feeling) and psychomotor (hands) are trained and developed. Same thing, new skills and knowledge gained and/or old skills and experiences developed.
Types of Education
- Formal Education
- Semi-Formal Education (Adult Education or Non-Formal Education)
- Informal education
🏫 Formal Education:
In Ghana, there are special places called schools where you go to learn lots of things. It’s like a treasure chest of knowledge! There are classrooms, teachers, and students with structured curriculum to be treated at designed timeframes.
Formal education takes place within structured institutions like schools and universities. It equips students with academic knowledge and skills necessary for their future careers.
So when you see people going to school; whether KG, Primary, JHS, SHS, University, Colleges, they are seeking to obtain formal education.
🌞 Semi-Formal / Non-Formal Education:
Some grown-ups might not have gone to school when they were little, but that’s okay! We have special ways for adults to learn new things. It’s never too late to learn something cool!
Ghana recognizes the importance of lifelong learning. Individuals who missed out on formal education have the opportunity to acquire skills and knowledge through non-formal education. These are programs that are organized to empower them to improve their lives.
🎉 Informal Education:
Think about how your grandparents tell you stories, or how you learn from your family and friends. That’s informal education, and it’s so full of fun!
Informal education occurs daily, through storytelling, traditions, and the shared experiences of families and communities. Think of how our grandparents taught our mothers how to prepare fufu, how to sweep with brooms made from palm fronds and things like that. We also learnt these skills and behaviors from our parents right at home. Informal education helps societies to preserve their culture (how they do their things that make them unique).
IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION
Education isn’t just about textbooks and exams; it’s an “agent” for change and growth. In Ghana, and just like anywhere else across the globe education brings a lot of good things including what I have outlined here:
- Every nation expects that its citizens who are employed to work attain some level of education in order to be able to carry out their duties “thoughtfully”. A well-educated workforce is crucial for Ghana’s economic development.
- Educated individuals often find more fulfilling and better-paying jobs.
- Education opens doors to advancement and opportunities.
- It fosters unity and understanding among diverse communities.
- Education is a powerful weapon against poverty.
- Educated citizens engage in constructive conversations and hold leaders accountable in very civil ways.
- It empowers individuals to lead healthier, happier lives.
I would encourage you to read more on the concept of education, the types and importance as well as the history of education, the European merchants/traders and the Missionary groups and their contributions.
click here Listen to additional Audios
In our next lesson, we will consider How Education Began in Ghana and the Journey So far.
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