Its been the kind of month supervisors warn you about. After a number of weeks relentlessly absorbing book after book in the initial phase of the literature review, I feel a little lost and confused. Naturally, I had more than vague appreciation of the broad scope of the project when it was first muted by the Prof but its only now that I have characterised the Peer Assisted Learning environment in terms of significant variables that I truly understand the complexity of the project. As it stands, its pretty intimidating. In terms of my own particular understanding, I have developed a representative model illustrating the significant variables at the following discrete levels: 1) Cultural, 2) School 3) Classroom 4) Group.

Firstly level 1 (cultural)requirement: the principal concern is to create an environment that is culturally-sensitive. In other words, the mechanism of knowledge acquisition and learning conforms with the methods familiar to African children. According to the literature, there is a strong tradition of respect and deference with a learning culture principally based on observation and imitation. It seems deeply ironic then that the most enduring aspect of the colonial period is rote learning, an approach now deemed anachronistic and unsuitable in the modern context. This cultural perspective would suggest that a variant of the Lancastrian form of teaching may be appropriate for African classrooms, mass learning (more than 1000 students at a time) being based on a rote system driven by a select cadre of student tutors. This is the Beautiful Tree referred to by Gandhi, except that the Mahatma probably would not shove naughty children into a sack and suspend them from the ceiling, as recommended by the autocrat Lancaster.

However, there remain a number of concerns with regard to this approach in relation to contemporary, formal schooling namely:

– Rote learning: The numerous shortcomings of rote are well-documented. Whilst this approach may be deemed appropriate for certain low-level thinking (albeit fundamental) skills such as basic literacy and arithmetic, rote is of questionable value in relation to any theme that necessitates the application of logic and reasoning. Although rote remains the dominant approach in all contexts and at all levels in the African classroom, the true quality of material understanding is highly questionable.

– Cohort of Elite Students: It is clear from the literature that African life is characterised by its communal nature, an individuals identity being defined in terms of their relationship with the group. Would it therefore be deemed appropriate to identify an elite group of students raised apart from their peers.

Ulimately, the use of rote and/or a potential variant of the Lancastrian system depends on the scope of the curriculum. What is the most appropriate form for excluded adolescents in marginalised communities? Furthermore, how are these needs changing in relation to a growing and modernising economy? It would seem that should the theoretical requirements be limited to the basic needs (literacy and arithmetic) then there is potential for student-tutors in the Lancastrian mould but for anything more complicated its appilication falls into significant doubt.

Meanwhile, literature has suggested that while a substantial share of adolescent children (24%) in Ghana are excluded from school by poverty (fees, transport etc.), an alarmingly high proportion (41%) report that school is useless and uninteresting. The research suggests that while 93% of excluded adolescents questioned (sample of 12,000 children) were actually engaged in unpaid family work, the alternative would not be schooling but idleness. In conclusion, Blunch suggests that should the parents be convinced of the value of education, they might make sure that their children are enrolled. Judging by this assessment, the definition of the curriculum and teaching styles are critical to re-engaging poor children.

From personal experience having taught a number of classes in Ghana, it is worth noting that the students responded extremely positively to a more progressive, interactive and questioning approach to learning. Whilst a progressive style may not be totally acceptable from a cultural perspective, it is more closely related to the higher-level thinking skills demanded by a modern economy and creates a more interesting learning environment. But what do the target population want?

I have been back in Newcastle for a few months now having been invited to more research by the Prof and Pauline.

The principal theme for my research project is Peer Assisted Learning in the Developing World which in this case is the West African Republic of Ghana, a location where the Prof has established a small number of successful low cost private schools. My first trip to West Africa was back in March and on this occasion I was travelling with Jonnie K. and Chris C., a pair of Masters students who are themselves doing the placement module as part of their studies.

The research period itself started in the best possible fashion as thanks to Chriss girlfriend Lisa, a legal secretary for British Airways, we immediately got an upgrade from cattle class to world traveller plus class. It turned out that this designation was neither club nor 1st class equivalent (how much class stratification can be imposed on a single decker airliner) but it did mean wider seats and more leg room. I can safely say that I have never enjoyed a long haul flight as much as this one. We arrived in Accra at 10pm and passed through customs with no undue concerns to be met by Mr Ken Donkoh at the exit to the Airport. Ken was talent spotted by the Prof some years ago as the entrepreneur to run his low cost private schools in the town of Kasoa and will act as our principal contact for this period of research, a period that is already subject to an extension (2 weeks to 3 weeks) thanks to our contact in British Airways.

The purpose of this visit is to develop some form of contextual platform for the research process as a basis for a formal proposal and working paper. This means developing an appreciation of the Ghanaian education system in terms of the curriculum and the learning approaches, also lifestyle characteristics such as interests, expectations, opinions of school and typical daily activities. The intention on arrival was to assess the possibility of building a low-cost school focused on a single teacher who would train a select set of young tutors who in turn would teach their peers English, based on an accessible set of communication activities (Genki English) and phonics (Jolly Phonics). Assisting Chris with his own phonics intervention will provide real experience of the learning environment whilst Ken will represent an informed sounding board for my intentions.

We arrived in Kokrobite, a village 90 mins west of Accra at 11.30pm and settled in to our new home, a spacious and luxurious beach house owned by a rich Ghanaian who apparently spent most of the year abroad. We had all been expecting a modest, cheap hotel so we were very surprised and not a little bit embarrassed to find ourselves in this ocean side palace.

In view of our adrenaline fuelled state, we decided to celebrate our arrival with a few beers at Big Millies a bar on the sea front. Despite the apparent remoteness of our location, there was a significant number of white faces enjoying the hang-out. Wanting an authentic experience, I think we were all a little disappointed at the numbers of foreign faces though it was not long before we were mingling with the friendly locals and celebrating the official start of our respective research projects.

Sunday was designated as a rest day, however Ken had a pre-arranged parents meeting at his school in Kasoa and asked if we would like to tag along. This represented our first opportunity to visit the school and get a flavour of local opinion for private schooling. The road from Kokrobite to Kasoa follows the coast though there appears to be little of what one would describe as a sea-view. In general the road is littered with small clusters of shops and businesses, however the most notably feature are the skeletons of half-built, unoccupied luxury housing, originally demanded by rich Ghanaian living abroad who for now at least, are presumed to be financially embarrassed.

When we arrived at the school large numbers of parents were already waiting patiently for the meeting to start. We took our seats to the side of the principal table and attempted to follow the rhythm and meaning of the event as best we could; the social language of this area being Fanti. Although one particular man did appear to be agitated in relation to a 5 pounds unpaid bill, the atmosphere and the attitude of the audience was clearly optimistic and a very positive reflection of Kens work. After all under his direction, the child is clothed, transported, educated and fed and all for 1 cedi per day, or 50p in my world. As the meeting drew toward a close, Ken introduced the British representation and explained briefly why we were there. I was on my feet first and returned the applause feeling very touched and not a little embarrassed by the vociferous nature of the reception. For his part, Chris returned his introduction with a few words in Fanti and was rewarded with laughter and a glorious cheer from the audience. As the meeting ended, a number of locals came up to introduce themselves personally and we were able to exchange a few niceties before we returned to Kokrobite. There had been an intention to repeat the previous nights activities but the pace had caught up with us and we collapsed on our respective sofas.

Monday was Independence Day in Ghana and despite having a family and no doubt, a plethora of personal commitments Ken came over to take us to lunch and discuss of various projects. The burger was in all honesty not to my taste but fortunately the conversation was far more palatable and enlightening. With reference to peer learning, Ken had some very big ideas that conflict significantly from with my original perception fortunately, his vision represented a genuine all encompassing, context friendly, practical agenda that was far more ambitious and exciting than my own. Ken has targeted young children and adolescents (in the 11-16 age range) who have been excluded from school as a consequence of work commitments related to family poverty. As opposed to education, the parents have taken an understandably practical stance and obliged the children to work as street vendors, hawkers etc in order to supplement the family income. In return for a very small fee these children will be invited to an evening school where they will be grouped by ability (from lower primary to junior high levels) and the brightest 10 students will be trained as peer tutors. In return these particular children will be rewarded with a free education (and a small wage to compensate for opportunity costs) for the minimum of a term at which point testing will be re-administered and a potentially new set (or sub-set) of tutors appointed, depending on performance. This system is seen as delivering a workable and ongoing incentive structure that does not impact on cultural sensitivities.

The new school will appoint at least a pair of teachers/masters to teach the prescribed subjects to groups of tutors on the afternoons directly preceding the evening classes. Ken will take responsibility for selecting these masters whose high reward (in excess of the state payments in order to attract the best) will reflect a talent for teaching including an ability to pass on knowledge using a simple and interactive method, as well as an enthusiasm and all-round knowledge of the Ghanaian curriculum. The curriculum itself will be broad (as English alone is not considered sufficiently beneficial and) in order to retain its relevance to the national certification process and the expectations of children and parents. English will be the language of the classroom and the primary focus of the learning process. As English is the lingua franca in Ghana, testing will be required to ascertain the precise level of student ability and the subsequent need for Genki language and TPR packages. It is however believed that all students would benefit from phonics classes as a foundation for improved literacy skills. It is also anticipated that the curriculum will be supplemented by practical skills lessons in order to increase the relevance of the course to those students that have short term agenda or may not necessarily be able to proceed to the secondary and further levels of education. These classes could include cooking, crafts, carpentry, car maintenance, accounting, TV/radio repair, computer literacy etc.

It is anticipated that the school will be based on a circular design of open (ceiling but no walls) huts which are themselves circular in shape. These structures will built of wood in a traditional style and consequently will far cheaper than the conventional concrete (breeze block) buildings. Each classroom will cater for no more than 6 students (subject to research) who will be taught by their designated tutor with the aid of a white board and materials (writing materials, text books etc) which be included in the price. The masters will be located in the centre of the school, equi-distant from each of the discrete classrooms in order to assist tutors when necessary and provide the visible symbol of authority and discipline. These are not only significant features of the African culture and school life but will all provide a source of confidence for the adolescent tutors within a challenging learning environment.

In terms of a sustainable business, it is recognised that parents would almost certainly reject a school that had few recognised teachers. Consequently, the new school will be closely aligned with the successful Omega schools and Ken himself who has already gained the confidence and gratitude of the local community. Success for the new street school will therefore be important in order not to undermine the quality of the existing brand. It is also recognised that the teaching approach will have anticipate the general fatigue of children who have to get up very early and work long hours in the sun before arriving at the school in the evenings. The focus on stimulation and fun in the classroom together with food and sufficient rest is given added significance in this context.

Whilst Ken will undertake the tactical management and commercial responsibilities of the business, my responsibilities will be more strategic in nature, characterising the dynamic and psychology of the peer learning environment (how and when does learning happen) in order to derive a set of procedures and processes (inc. tutor age and pupil to tutor ratio) that will assist the masters and the tutors in their teaching and classroom management roles. I will also be responsible for the introducing new teaching techniques (identifying, evaluating, training, monitoring) associated will chosen curriculum subjects .e.g. Genki, TPR. Finally, as part of my PhD research, I shall be responsible for documenting the introduction, performance and impact of peer assisted learning in Kasoa and disseminating the results into the academic community.

Having spent some of the late afternoon in a siesta in an attempt to re-energise, we went into the town of Kokrobite to find something to eat. The town itself consists of the sea front which is dominated by the backpacker scene and a main street which is just set back from the coast. Most of the street was in pitch darkness and many of the small businesses had already closed. However, we did manage to find a little booth with 3 local dishes on offer including a tomato based chicken dish, a fish dish (Banku) and Groundnut soup which had a naturally repellent yellowy tone. We decided the chicken was probably the best option and were shown to our tables in the backyard, striking up a conversation with a local lad who worked at Big Millies. The food itself was a rice dish with drumsticks and a side portion of chilli sauce. In view of my ravenous appetite, I tucked in to rice with a smattering of chilli and bit straight into a red hot pepper. The meal was not quite the same from there on.

Tuesday: Ken arrived around 8.45am to pick us up and give us a tour of the schools which currently constitute the Omega foundation in this Area (there is an addition school on the Cape Coast). Having left the main road to follow a dirt track for a short while, we arrived in the village of Old Bortianor, where we were met by the senior school administrator and standards officer for the entire operation. The school was akin to a single level misson hut with a corridor and a low level wall separating the classes from one another. The sight of 3 white guys immediately took the attention of one class after another with cries of Obroni or white man coming from every direction. The enthusiasm and nature of the greeting was overwhelming and something we would have to get used to the more we travelled in the region. Ken provided a running commentary of class levels, curriculum content and the nature of teaching in African classrooms. Characteristics that were immediately apparent in this particular school included the youth of the teachers (often unemployed high school graduates), manageable teacher to pupil ratios (30 to 1), the positive climate felt by all of us and the fact that the school included a nursery with an interactive teaching approach, a quality that seems to erode as you progress through the levels.

We then continued onto Kasoa and the principal learning facility, educating twice as many students as Botianor (in excess of 600). As we slowed to enter Kasoa on the Japanese-built toll road, my attention was distracted by a man on the central reservation strolling toward us without an apparent care in the world, nothing particularly notable in that except that this individual was as naked as the day he was born; popping down the local corner shop to pick up some bread no doubt. Whilst travelling is always full of surprises, neither I nor Chris had expected that one at anytime never mind the morning rush hour. As we arrived at the school, we were once again the principal focus of the distracted attention of the students who according to Ken have seen white people before but have never had the opportunity to interact with them. As play time commenced we were all mobbed by excited little child looking to meet us and touch and stroke our fair skins, they were all particularly fascinated by arm hair, something that is clearly not a characteristic of their own race. As mentioned, my objectives were to get an appreciation of learning approaches, classroom dynamic etc and there could be not better way of obtaining a degree of understanding than getting involved with Chriss classroom intervention; phonics. The first step was to test the individual children of their phonic awareness using a few levels (the most common) letters i.e. m, a, s, d, e, i. Ken explained the general scope of intervention and the role of the children to the young K2 teacher, Madame Fortune. She in turn practiced a few random sounds with the children in order to give them an understanding of the phonic test before the first pair of children were called from the class. Whilst the test format was very rudimentary; unfamiliar adults, and unfamiliar language, it soon became clear that the degree of phonic awareness in both the K2 lower and K2 upper classes was very limited in deed. Most children were not clear on what they were expected to do when faced with a sheet of graphemes, some children knew the name of a few graphemes but did not know the sound, and the bare minimum of children (less than 5%) could correctly sound a small number of the graphemes (most notably m, a, s, e). At this stage it is surmised that the poor performance is related to the fact that children are taught the name of the grapheme (appropriate for spelling) as opposed to the sound and it is quite possible that the introduction of a phonic programme will produce a tangible improvement. There also exists a divergence between English language acquisition and the acquisition of their own language Fanti which is only understood in terms of sounds (and not a separate alphabet sounds).

At this point in time, we had had little opportunity to exchange our dollars for cedis. Kens brother David offered to take up to the bank and then on to a restaurant for something to eat. However, it meant we were walking from one end of New Market Street to the other over a period of 2 hours on the hottest day of the trip. Having forgotten my cap, it was not long before I was suffering from heat exposure and a burning head and whilst the meal was welcome the sense of exhaustion was overwhelming. On the food front, I had Banku (fish) and jollof rice while the lads had chicken and rice, menu options that would have some ramifications that would only be felt in the coming days. Whilst we did return to the school for a short while, having completed our testing for the day we decided to head back to Kokrobite and a much deserved rest.

On Wednesday, Chris and myself completed the phonics testing with the control KG2 group and whilst this class allegedly represented a higher student level, there was little discernable improvement in phonics recognition. By early afternoon, Chris and Jonny were suffering with bad stomachs as an apparent result of yesterdays culinary choices and returned home early. I was having TPR style conversations with a number of elder primary school children and really enjoying the interaction so decided to stay. So whilst the lads immediately took a taxi back home, I would make my own way back to Kocrobite later that afternoon. Although the omens may have been bad, I decided to return to the same restaurant that lunchtime though naturally, I stuck to fish. On this occasion as with the previous day, I was served food by Nani and drinks by Paulina, a striking young Ghanaian women whose appearance was made all the more compelling by a set of traditional tribal scars on her cheeks. Whilst her English is not so strong, we did manage the semblance of a conversation directed toward her current set of circumstances and hopes for the future. It would appear that her entire life revolves around the restaurant for which she claims to work some 18 hours a day, 7 days a week. Clearly this is an extraordinary statement even in the given context and whilst it may be a tad exaggerated for my benefit, I have little doubt that much of her young life and potential is being wasted in this grease stained corner of Kasoa. In view of my desire to provide a school for people such as Paulina, I asked her if she would be interested in re-igniting her education assuming she could find the time, at which point she demanded to know more about the new low cost school. I needed Nani to translate my future intentions and promised to keep her informed of future developments including the dates of my expected return to Kasoa. In return she promised she would help me with my Fanti once I had re-established myself in the city. For now at least, Paulina symbolises the entire reason for my presence here and everything Im hoping to achieve. Im left in no doubt that she needs and deserves an opportunity and lets hope the Newcastle University together with the Omega foundation can provide it.

I finished the academic day by winding up a TPR session (cities, countries, continents) with some of the upper primary students. I caught a Tro-Tro and a shared taxi back to Kokrobite, though I was alarmed at one point to see little Blessing (no more than 5 years old) being dropped off at a bus stop to make her own way home. Its probably been a couple of hundred years since this was the norm in the UK.

Not surprisingly the guys were flat out by the time I reached the apartment and were in no fit state for anything which was a shame for over the sultry air who could clearly hear the pulsating beat of a traditional African drum outfit practicing at the bottom of our garden. Needless to say this wasn’t something I had experienced very often and the opportunity to plug yourself directly into the most expressive and dynamic soundtrack of Africa was not to be missed. I wasnt disappointed and got a free practice session from Kokrobites finest without a single cedi changing hands, I was even invited to see them perform for real at Big Millies this coming Friday.

Thursday: Did some spelling test using the Schonnel test (KG2) and using 3 letter word. It was clear that the general standard was low and little better than the KG1. At the break, I was introduced to Pauline (a parent) and we discussed the difficulty of learning Fanti at which point she produced a rudimentary grammar book from her handbag and offered it as a gift together with a couple of Johovahs Witnesses magazines. It seems that the grammar is relatively straight forward and that tenses are related to word/verb intonation rather than changes in form. However, the experience Fanti acquisition may actually be more difficult than Spanish due to the fact that its predominantly an oral based tradition with limited written expression e.g. newspapers are distributed in English. Integrated into Ghanaian society during the period of my research appears to represent another significant challenge. In the absence of a class to teach, I made myself comfortable on the bench and struck up a conversation with Evelyn, a small business woman who provides cheap snacks for the children. Evelyn herself has 5 children (including an adopted child) and is a generous, knowledgeable and eloquent woman and we were to have many engaging conversations in the coming days. By early afternoon a distinct sense of fragility brought on by a stomach upset is exacerbated by the searing temperature and a level of humidity that drains liquid as surely as a hole in a bucket. So when I got home, I inevitably collapsed for a 2 hour long siesta and that was pretty much the end of that for the day.

Friday: PE session. Jonnie and I exhausted ourselves runnning around woth the children for a few hours in the morning sun. The day was pretty much over for us both after that though I did manage to drag myself out to Big Millies for their Culture evening with the local drumming outfit. Very intense

Saturday: Fell out with Felix over the charge for the accommodation. Naturally we suspected than things dont come for free and we presented Felix with a decent tip before leaving. However upon Kens arrival Felix told us that the charge was 20 cedis/each, a snipet of information he had kept from us until the very last minute. This led to a general falling out that was only resolved with Kens intervention though I doubt Ill be welcome back there for weekends.

Ken took us to to Old Bortianor where Chris did a very good phonics presentation to the Omega teachers. Whilst attendance was probably compulsory, it seemed to me that the they also believed that phonics would provide a very important tool in the fight for English literacy. Chris also kept referred to me as Doctor Burgess which is of course, very premature but I did like the sound of it. As the class drew to a close Ken pulled up out side with the Prof and we all headed into Accra where the grown-ups were scheduled to have a meeting with the manager of a Dutch hedge fund.

Meanwhile, myself and the boys spent the afternoon in a nearby shopping mall and marvelled at the pace of development. We even had an authentic burger and chips to celebrate the air conditioned change of scenery. After a couple of hours and an opportunity to catch up with the news, we met up with the grown-ups and Sander, the Dutch venture capitalist at a local hotel. Apart from the interesting chat, the exotic-ness of the location was reinforced by the swarms of fruit bats that nested and flew over head. Individually they are about the size of a small bird and appear to have little time for flying solo.

Singing songs in the car. Move into our new hotel on the outskirts of Kasoa. Dinner with James and get him up to
Sunday: Church service with annoying pastor. Meet the coach. Meet up with Ken and visit the sight of the new school at Oblogo. Still new residence. Visit Lake Wieja. James goes off for his meeting.

Monday: Assisted Chris with a phonics in the KG2 class. Taught for a couple of hours at lower (TPR introductions) and upper (ICT based English) primary levels. Concerned at the absence of teachers for these particular classes and the difficulty of maintaining discipline (if not enthusiasm) in the classroom. This may well be the principal difficulty associated with a peer to peer learning environment. Chatted to Evelyn about the obvious differences between African and British cultures. Caught the bus back to the hotel with the children (over 100 of them)

Tuesday: Similar to yesterday. KG2 class with Chris providing a recap of existing sounds and the addition of a couple of extra sounds. Taught an environmental studies class based on the English words for tree parts. Had lunch at the Paradise restaurant run by William, an American who has returned to Ghana. Returned to school to teach a TPR routine to a Danny’s lower primary class. Impressed with the standard once again though disappointed to find a class completely unattended.

Thursday: Given instructions to investigate test regime within the school. Had a meeting with Mr Drirer the Omegas standards official and Lisa as head of the school. Once again taught a few English classes this time applying the present perfect continuous in the context of sport (CR9 has been playing for Real Madrid for 10 months). Evelyn has decided not to take up the potential offer of a school teacher on the basis that she has no one to run her small business.

Friday: Spoke to the Fanti teacher, Sandra and Mitchell, a Science and English teacher about their understanding of the study of the test and its correlation to Lisa and Mr Dreier opinions. Mitchell went into great detail about the reporting system that he helped establish requiring the teachers to test and report on children’s progress every 2 weeks. Whilst research suggests the testing and monitoring process is thorough, it would appear to represent a significant admin overhead for teachers whilst all records are recorded and maintained on paper. It would seem that a more effective and streamlined system could be designed using an excel spreadsheet and generating graphs as a means of illustrating student progress. To this end, Mitchell relayed a story about a student from his previous school who whilst withdrawn and unsuccessful in science classes was full of creative energy in art classes. Consequently, the respective teachers had completely diverging views of the students attitude and performance and yet because of the nature of the reporting system the students full potential went unrecognised for an entire year. Mitchell informed me that he remains in contact with the student who is now a successful local artist. Took one final class for this week, teaching comparatives and superlatives in an environmental context.

Early afternoon and me and the guys took a Tro-Tro to Cape Coast and then onto Brennu where Chris had previously worked with a foundation to build a primary school. After the heat and clostraphobia of Kasoa this was just the kind of break and location required to recharge the batteries. A fresh sea breeze, miles upon miles of pristine white sands and barely a human soul to be seen. Chris had arranged for us to meet a local friend of his Isaac who is training to become a teacher and having dropped our bags off, we went into town to find a drinking spot and meet some of the very friendly locals. The spot we found was no bigger (or cleaner) than your average (Chinese) kitchen and yet most of the male, adult population of the village appeared to pass through it in the matter of a couple of hours and thanks to a couple of shots of apekteche (45% proof, tequila style lubricant), we were more than happy to engage all and sundry in conversation. The principal event of the weekend appeared to be the funeral of a local matriarch, though unlike a typical British affair the Ghanaian celebrate the individuals life with a big knee’s up to which all the village seems to be invited. At the centre of the ceremony was a small house brightly illuminated with Christmas tree lights where the body was lying in state. Chris and I took a sly glance through the netted windows but all I could see was what appeared to be a mass of white sheets on a bed. However, as we began to drift home Chris asked if I had also seen the body of the deceased. Morbidly fascinated we returned to the little green building and once again peered through the window and there it was, the peaceful, fully made up face of the deceased matriarch. I yet out a little yelp in surprise to which an irate individual behind enquired what exactly it was that we were doing. It turned out that this person had every right to be irritated being the eldest son of the deceased. Our timely had been so extraordinarily bad that one felt we were almost destined to meet and whilst his initial irritation was more than apparent, our grovelling apologises and obvious embarrassment seem to quell his angry to such a point that by the time the conversation was over, he had invited back to pay our last respects (from 4 am the next morning). However neither me nor Chris were in any mood to push our luck so we said our goodbyes and meekly scuttled off back to our chalet for a decent nights sleep, undisturbed by nightmares of the dead.

Saturday: After breakfast we took a taxi down to the bustling town of Cape Coast to have a look at the castle which is the most prominent landmark. In view of its historical (dating back to precolonial days) and business significance, the town is charming, energetic and compelling, in direct contrast to the bland and notably claustrophobic nature of Kasoa. Having arrived at our destination however, Chris realised that he had brought us to the wrong destination and that we should actually be in Elmina, a few miles back in the direction from which we had just arrived. Whilst it was a little irritating to have to retrace our steps, Elmina is a destination not to be missed. Whilst it is a much smaller town than Cape Coast, Elimina is intensely colourful fishing community providing glossy magazine like photos in every direction. In contrast to this image, Elimina Castle is symbolic one of the darkest chapters of Britains colonial history. In a similar manner to Cape Coast, many hundreds of thousands of Africans slaves would have been held here in this dark and forbidding place in advance of their forced relocation to the vast plantations of the Americas and the Caribbean. It represented a particularly compelling contrast to Aguablanca in Colombia where descendants of the original slave community represent a significant part of the existing population. We went for a drink alongside harbour wall where one is was able to really savour the hustle, bustle of the fish market and talk to the locals about life in this vibrant corner of the Ghanaian coast. We took a Tro-Tro back to Kasoa and the hotel but having arrived in town relatively early in the evening we decided to go to Kokrobite and a reggae night at Big Millies.

Monday and Tuesday were largely spent saying hasta luego (until next time) to the teaching staff and the children. Whilst I did a number of classes myself, I spent most of my time watching Chris and Fortune continuing their tag team approach to their intensive phonics lessons. Whilst a researcher should always be cautious about drawing any conclusions at such an early stage of an intervention, Fortune has clearly been inspired by the approach and the children are very much enjoying the interactive nature of the lessons. Whilst many pan-Africans have promoted a traditional style of education that appears to have a degree of overlap with the predominant rote approach, it certainly doesn’t appear that the children are alienated by a more progressive style of learning. Evelyn is under no illusions as to the growing cultural impact of the west on Ghana and whilst she perceives and indeed laments the gradual loss of the traditional community lifestyle, she is convinced that the material benefits of development represent a greater good. On Monday evening, we did decide to have an early leaving party in Kasoa in a couple of very contrasting pubs. First the Spot, so dark and exotic in nature that one half expected a Humphrey Bogart type to enter. This was followed by the Queens Pub, a drinking hole created from a converted freighter crate. Here we met Kate and Michael who generously offered us a kebab when we enquired about pub food. After a ludicrous game of pool (with half a cue ball), they took us to the Triple X nightclub on the outskirts of the town which would Im sure have been another fascinating experience had it not been closed. Not prepared to end the night in anti-climax, we stopped-off at another local bar for a drink and a long chat before finally heading home sometime well after midnight.

On Tuesday evening Chris and Jonnie kindly escorted me to Kotoka Airport in Accra for the journey home and whilst they were being ripped off for dinner, I was being relegated back down to Economy class. No problem, by this time in the journey my adrenaline levels were spent and I slept for most of the overnight flight back to London to be welcomed by the all to familiar cloudy skies of home.

So having reached more familiar shores, what are my abiding memories of Ghana. Most notable is the personality of its people. As a born itinerant, the sustained and genuine warmth with which I am often met never ceases to amaze me but in these terms, Ghana may just be in a league of its own. Throughout my entire stay, I was greeted with nothing but smiles and waves (and the continual chorus of Obroni) from friends and strangers alike and at no point was there anything less than total respect, consideration and politeness. Its all very humbling when you consider the way most immigrants are received on these shores, particularly the poor ones. From an educational perspective, the predominance of rote learning complemented by strict levels of discipline were the most notable qualities associated with the classroom. From an outsiders perspective, it does raise the question related to the suitability of a western learning approach based on Victorian values in the context of Africa. It was certainly noticeable that despite the manageable pupil to teacher ratios it was often difficult to settle very excitable students and get them to concentrate on the task in hand, hence the symbolic and sometimes wince inducing role played by the cane, even at Kindergarten level. In this sense at least, I would hope that a slightly more progressive approach to education might have a positive effect on interest levels and child discipline, though I am very aware of the potential conflict this approach may have with the culture of imitation and deference associated with the traditional African community.