It was with a great deal of delight that I discovered that a group of young Ghanaians who set much store by their ability to enjoy constant good health have formed a “Hiking Club” which takes them on hikes that sometimes take them as far away from their meeting point as 10 or 15 kilometres.
What is strange – and welcome – about this group is that whilst going about their business of hiking, they allowed the scenery they passed to convey messages to them about the sort of life that is experienced around the localities. Stranger, still, they analysed their observations in group discussions, and in one instance, allowed their abstract observations to inspire them to take practical action to ameliorate matters.
The object of their attentions was a school situated near one of the routes they took on their hikes. It was your “normal” Ghanaian Junior High School. And like many others, in it looked rather forlorn.
“I wonder whether they have any good toilets!” (one member ventured).
“It’s computers I’m worried about!” another interjected. “Whatever we say, I.T. and A.I. are going to be ruling the world by the time they come out of school. Even if they pass their exams without computers helping them to absorb the information they need, and come into the vast, jobless world that threatens the very existence of the youth in developing countries, what chance have they got to be able to compete with their contemporaries who own smart-phones choking with apps?”
The discussion threatened to take a depressing turn. Then someone blurted out, “Maybe, WE can buy them some computers, if, as we suspect, they haven’t got any!”
Everybody laughed at the suggestion.
“WE”?
Some members of the group needed new running shoes. Others needed to brave sending their smart-phones to phone repairers who did not scruple to “cut the throat” of any phone-owner who was unfortunate enough to “fall into their hands”!
“Let’s send a delegation to the school!” someone suggested.
Many members volunteered to go about the task of obtaining information about the school. They reported back that the school did have a computer room. But there were no computers in it! So what did they do during I.T. classes? ANSWER: the I.T teacher had to show the students what she was talking about, by passing her personal laptop round.
“What the heck – suppose some naughty students might read her private mail?” someone observed.
“Yes – I wouldn’t trust some of today’s youngsters with my laptop. There’s no guarantee that no-one would be tempted to memorise some information on the laptop and use it to do “sakawa!” (engage in internet scams).”
“So, what do we do? Throw up our arms and squeeze our faces?” an exasperated member asked.
“Or pray for computers to be brought to the school through divine intervention?” another demanded.
“Send a petition to the Ministry of Education on behalf of the students?”
Everybody laughed. Which minister/high official would receive a petition from a group that had no connection with any educational institution?
TO BE CONTINUED
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By CAMERON DUODU