Ghanaian-Canadian Professor and Students to Give Rural Students Scholarships, books and computers

Students at the Nsaba Diaspora Senior High School near Nsawam in the Eastern Region and 10 of their counterparts from several rural communities in Ghana will be beneficiaries of scholarships from students from Kwantlen Polytechnic University in Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. The scholarships which were the result of fundraising activities organized by students of Dr. Charles Quist-Adade’s Social Justice and Global Inequalities classes will be awarded to the students at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and University of Ghana on July 9 and July 12 respectively.

Dr. Quist-Adade who is in the country with his students for a field school said the scholarships were part of a three-pronged fundraising effort to invest in the futures of Ghanaian students, namely scholarships, books, and computers. Earlier this year more than $150.000 worth of computers, books, and hospital equipment were shipped to Ghana for distribution among rural schools in six regions, thanks to joint effort of Dr. Quist-Adade ‘s students, the Kwantlen Students Association, and two Canadian Non-Governmental Organizations, African Education through Technology Society and the Canada-Africa Foundation for Rural Education (Afretech).

The Tema Meridian Rotary Club is currently processing the donations for distribution among the recipients.

Dr. Quist-Adade explained that the focus of the fundraising project is the whole of Ghana, with particular emphasis on small towns and villages, “because small towns and rural schools are the most deprived of educational resources. The digital divide between schools in the small towns and rural communities and their counterparts in urban areas and cities is quite wide.”

Dr. Quist-Adade who is a Sociology professor in Canada said, “the highest percentage of Ghana’s population is school age that desperately need computer skills if they were to find work in this increasingly technological age,” adding “the best place to learn is the school, but most schools are impoverished, have limited resources, and could never afford to purchase a single computer, let alone a lab.”

He said that the bulk of the donated books are science, mathematics, reference books and encyclopedias, adding that such books are relevant to Ghanaian students. “Care was taken to ensure that we did not dump non-relevant books on Ghanaian students.” Dr. Quist-Adade said. He also added that the donated computers all refurbished. Among the beneficiaries of the donations of books and computers are Enyan Denkyira Senior High Secondary Technical School, Tuobodom Secondary-Technical School, Sandema Senior High Technical School, Fumbisi Senior High School, Sandema Hosptial, Ame Zion Elementary School, Dzodze Secondary School, Tamale Science Islamic Senior High School, Others are Suhum Newtown Juniour High School, University of Mines, Tarkwah, Tiawiah D/A Junior High School, Supreso Junior High School, and Sefwi-Wiawso Secondary School.

Also to benefit from the donations are the Ghana Institute of Journalism, the Institute of Continuing and Distance Education, the University of Education, Winneba, and University of Ghana.

In 2007, Dr. Quist-Adade and his compatriot and colleague, Dr. Kwawu Agbemenu retired professor of Geography of Kwantlen Polytechnic University, working with Afretech donated GH¢120,000 or $115,992.74 CAD worth of educational materials, including computers and books, as well as hospital equipment to 15 schools, hospitals, and libraries in the Greater Accra, Volta and Eastern regions.

Ghanaian and Canadian Students Study in Classroom without Walls For the past three years, Dr. Quist-Adade has been teaching a webconferencing course on Global Inequalities, which links his Canadian students and their Ghanaian counterparts at the University of Ghana, the Ghana Institute of Journalism, and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. The course, which was built on the principles of the “global village” and “classroom without walls,” employed simple “integrative information and educational technologies (WizIQ and Moodle) to break the boundaries of time, space and distance thereby facilitating the sharing of knowledge between the students at the Ghana Institute of Journalism, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and Kwantlen Polytechnic University,” explained Dr. Quist-Adade.

The partially on-line course used a mixed mode delivery, combining synchronous video-audio streaming, real chat, online materials, pre-packaged online materials, as well as asynchronous chat sessions.

The Ghanaian students who successfully completed the course will be awarded certificates at a ceremony at the Ghana Institute of Journalism. It is the second phase in a pilot project initiated in 2008 by the Ghanaian-Canadian professor and his Ghanaian collaborators, Dr. Akosua Darkwah of the University of Ghana, Dr. Vincent Dodoo of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi and Mr. Kodwo Ansong Boateng of Ghana Institute of Journalism, Accra.

Dr. Quist-Adade, who doubles as the president of the Ghanaian-Canadian Association of British Columbia (GCABC), will also present scholarships two students on behalf of the association. In 2009, the GCABC launched a scholarship project to assist needy students in Canada and Ghana. In 2010, two Ghanaian students and four Ghanaian-Canadian students were awarded scholarships by the association. “There is no better investment than one in education of a nation’s youth.” Dr. Quist-Adade, who is also the founder of the Canada-Africa Foundation for Rural Education, noted.

“I am inspired to help and give back to my country of birth because legions of my country men and women gave to me in various ways when I was a student.” Dr. said he believes that when students become aware of the commitments and sacrifices of others to help them realize their educational and career aspirations, they are likely to be more motivated to do well in their studies. A beneficiary of the Ghana Cocoa Marketing Scholarship Scheme instituted by the First Republic government, Dr. Quist-Adade observed that without the sacrifice of Ghanaian cocoa farmers, whom he called “my unsung heroes and heroines,” he would never have been able to go to school, as his parents were too poor to pay for his education.

“All my education, from high school to graduate school, was paid for by people I call my unsung heroes and heroines in villages and cottages across Ghana. Money set aside by cocoa farmers in Ghana in the form of the Cocoa Marketing Board Scholarship Scheme financed my education,” Dr. Quist-Adade said.

Dr. Quist-Adade also believes that Ghanaians in the Diaspora and their compatriots back home can do more to help the country, especially so in the age of the internet. He said his webconferencing course is an example how “we can harness the forces of new technology to share ideas and knowledge irrespective of distance, turning the brain-drain into brain-gain.”

He said he was writing a grant proposal to seeking funding to improve and expand the webconferencing course to include more students in Ghana. Ghana Field School

Dr. Quist-Adade is leading the Ghana Field School, which is made up of 15 students from different disciplines, including Sociology, Nursing, Business, Political Science, and Criminology. He is being assisted by nursing lecturer Stephanie Howes. The three-week international experiential learning involves guest lectures on the history, culture and politics of Ghana, educational tours of historic sites, and field placements with state, parastatal, and non-governmental agencies in the Greater Accra region.

He thanked his students and collaborators in Ghana and in Canada in making the project possible. He was particularly thankful to Afretch of British Columbia, Canada and the Tema Meridian Rotary Club. He also thanked his Ghanaian colleagues, Dr. Akosua Darkwah of the University of Ghana, Dr. Vincent Dodoo, Dr. Prince Osei Wusu-Adjei, both of the Kwame University of Science and Technology, Mr. Eric Kofi Gbadam of University of Mines, Tarkwah, and Dr. Albert of Koomson of the University of Cape Coast.

He reserved special thanks for Bonnie Sutherland and the entire members of the Afretech Aid Society for helping to solicit, box and ship the donation. As well, Dr. thanked the Kwantlen Students Association for donating $5,000 towards the shipment cost of the consignment and Kwantlen Polytechnic University and Douglas College for donating computers.

From Social Justice Students, Kwantlen Polytechnic University Surrey, BC, Canada -do-