ACCRA, Ghana – Thursday, May 28, 2020,https://africanpostonline.com/—For many teachers such as Melisa Pearl in Ghana, teaching in rural areas has always been one of the hardest struggles they all face.
With less and fewer resources such as proper classrooms, teaching and learning materials amongst others, they are often left to cater for these in most cases with their salaries.
Melisa Pearl Adarkwah teaches in an underpopulated school, Kwaku Sae Presby Primary, in the West Akim Municipality, Eastern Region and handles ten children.
Becoming a teacher was not part of my plans growing up. I had always wanted to be a journalist. But I had no other option when my dad said either college of education or none. I just had to obey, this school is my first after college, I love kids and I love teaching them – says Melisa.
She is in her 6th year in school and is using social media to create change.
With over four thousand followers on Facebook, she took advantage of the idea by a friend to raise funds to renovate her school which was noted for its bad state which her friends kept raising concern about whenever she posted a picture standing in front of it.
Many of her friends have been supportive of the idea and the school is halfway through completion but it had not been without criticism.
Along the line, I nearly brought the project to a halt. I posted pictures of my pupils participating willingly by fetching sand and water and received a lot of criticisms claiming it was a form of child labour until many came along to support with quoted versions of what the law states about child labour. This vindicated me – Melisa Narrates.
On being the difference she states that she didn’t want to be tagged as just a teacher who was once posted into this community, taught for several years and left without making any impact in the lives of the kids and the community as a whole, I’m glad to be in the position where I can effect change in the lives of these little angels.
On her views on the Ghana education service, Melisa believes that politicians should stop playing politics with our educational system. One thing they should be more concerned with is providing urgent educational tools to make the classroom learner-friendly and to affect effective teaching and learning.
Although education is free and the burden for parents are lighter, she says most of the children’s support from parents is never enough and are still unable to provide the basic needs like books and uniforms.
Melisa is not stopping anytime soon, she doesn’t believe everything is happening with such speed in the short possible time.
This isn’t her first time raising funds on social media, with her first being to support a widow and her children.
She has no regrets helping her students have a safe place and a good learning environment and will continue to leave her legacy in places she finds herself with her philanthropic deeds.
Gifty Amoateng – African Post Online
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