Wait - this is what a classroom looks like?

Since we had a number of educators (K-12 and post-secondary) on the trip, it was very important that we visited a school.

Mind you, I had my reservations of it being perceived as an exercise of colonial missionary work, so we treaded carefully.

Respectfully.

A Ghanaian student of mine at the University of Waterloo, an alumnus of SOS - Hermann Gmeiner International College, was kind enough to connect me with the administration.

I wasn't sure what to expect with this visit.

I figured the handful of teachers would come off the bus, chat with the school's Emotional Counsellor, Dr. Carol Mathias-O'chez, for a few minutes, and we would be back on the bus making our way out of Tema.

Oh, how I miscalculated this experience.

We had teachers chatting in French like long lost amis.

We had students sharing ideas on projects like it was a Tuesday afternoon lab in Waterloo.

And then got a chance to see the AppleLab.

While I understand that this International College is a (very) well-funded (quasi-private) institution, I thought it was very important for us to reimagine what we thought about all 'African' schools.

Ghana, particularly the Cape Coast, is the bastion of (colonial) education. 

While this school, and lab, may not be representative of all educational institutions in the country, nor does this dismiss or discount the Afro-centric knowledge keeping that is woven within the fabric of West African society, it was very important that this one visit challenged the general view that we have of 'non-Western' (i.e. white) educational facilities.

And the students they produce.

Ones that can succeed and excel in Canadian institutions.