Running head: EDUC 5010 Written Assignment Unit 2 1

EDUC 5010 Written Assignment Unit 2

University of the People

EDUC 5010 Written Assignment Unit 2 2

Introduction

Ghana Educational System

Ghana, formerly known as the Gold Coast, was the first African country to the south

of the Sahara to gain political independence from colonial rule in 1957.

In precolonial times, education in Ghana was informal. Knowledge and competencies were

transmitted orally and through apprenticeships. The arrival of European settlers during the

16th century brought new forms of learning; formal schools appeared, providing a book-

based education. Their audience was mainly made up of local elites (mulattos, sons of local

chiefs and wealthy traders) and their presence was limited to the colonial forts, long confined

to the coasts.

Although Ghana’s educational system had previously been regarded as one of the

most highly developed and effective in West Africa, by the 1980s it was in near collapse and

viewed as dysfunctional in relation to the goals and aspirations of the country.

The purpose for the educational system is Ghana is to make education more relevant

to the socio-economic realities of the country, so that the Ghanaian children will be able to

live a productive and meaningful life and also play a dynamic role in the development of their

nation. (World data on education. 6th edition, 2006/2007 page 1)

United Kingdom Educational System

The history of education in England is documented from Saxon settlement

of England, and the setting up of the first cathedral schools in 597 and 604. ... By the

1880s education was compulsory for children aged 5 to 10.

EDUC 5010 Written Assignment Unit 2 3

St Augustine gets the credit for starting the history of education in England. In 597 he

founded King’s School, Canterbury and 604 King’s School, Rochester. He established two

types of school; grammar schools for teaching Latin to priests and song schools for training

“sons of gentlefolk” to sing in cathedral choirs. Education then was limited to male nobles

and gentry who wanted to enter the priesthood. The age range was typically 11-14. For

nobles who didn’t want to be priests there was home tuition followed by placement at a noble

house for chivalric training.

In the United Kingdom, the purpose of education is to prepare people for life, equipping them

with the knowledge and skills to contribute to a thriving society. It should provide young

people with the understanding and motivation for further studies and enable them to make

informed decisions in their everyday lives, including about their education and employment.

(Gillard D (2018) Education in England: a history www.educationengland.org.uk/history)

Comparison: The differences between the system in Ghana and United Kingdom is:

1. Years spent studying.

Ghana’s school system follows the British model. It is considered one of the best

systems in West Africa. The educational system consists of two to three years of nursery

school, six compulsory years of primary school as well as three compulsory years of junior

high school. Having passed the Basic Education Certificate Examination (B.E.C.E.) students

can continue with three years of senior high school. The West African Senior School

Certificate Examination (WASSCE) at the end of the 12th grade allows students to attend

universities and other tertiary education institutions if they want to...

EDUC 5010 Written Assignment Unit 2 4

The education system in the UK is also divided into four main parts, primary education,

secondary education, further education and higher education. While children in the UK have

to legally attend primary and secondary education which runs from about 5 years old until the

student is 16 years old, children in Ghana don’t have to legally attend a school.

2. Curriculum:

Schools in Ghana do local content and international content, while schools in the UK run

only the British curriculum.

3. Assessment:

Schools in Ghana do assessment for the children termly while children in UK only do exams

at the end of a Key Stage.

I favour these points because most schools now run the British curriculum and it will

be very easy or the children to transition to other schools or classes.

EDUC 5010 Written Assignment Unit 2 5

References

Gillard D (2018) Education in England: a history retrieved from

www.educationengland.org.uk/history

Stephen Appiah Takyi, Owusu Amponsah, Michael Osei Asibey & Raphael Anammasiya

Avambire (2019). An Overview of Ghana’s educational system and its implication for

educational equity, International Journal of leadership in Education.

DOI:10.1080/13603124.2019.1613565

Retrieved from https://wellcome.ac.uk/sites/default/files/wtp060177.pdf

Retrieved from http://www.coursesuk.com/index.php/uk-education/the-history-of-education-

in-the-uk

Essays, UK. (November 2018). The Education System in Ghana Education Essay. Retrieved

from https://www.ukessays.com/essays/education/the-education-system-in-ghana-

education-essay.php?vref=1