Poverty is a major challenge facing millions of students in school in Ghana. It has taken a toll on the most populace and render them useless. This article has looked at some of the effects of poverty on the student in Ghanaian schools
Effects of poverty on students
A school dropout, most students especially in the village drop out of school simply because they don’t have money to pay the fees. People at times do not think that this issue affects some students in certain places but as educators, we experienced these things often. A student will complete junior High school and can’t afford to attend senior high school because they don’t have the money to pay and buy the necessary things needed to keep them in school. There are certain schools about thirty students can complete and only five or six people whose parents are well to do will be fortunate to proceed with their education to the high school level.
Most students perform poorly in some schools in Ghana only because of poverty. This is a serious issue causing students failure but has been relegated to the background. In some parts of the country, students come to school with an empty stomach and as a result of this they pay less attention to what is been taught in class and this indeed affects their academic performance. Children in these areas always come to school thinking about what they will go home and eat and even at times they don’t come to school. I think this can be addressed if the government and other stakeholders can identify these schools and provide them with one daily meal to encourage and attract these students to come to school to learn.
Teaching social justice in school can help reduce the effects of poverty on students in Ghanaian schools. There are some students whose parents are well to do and they are in the same school as these needy students so if social justice is taught in school, well to do children will support their colleagues who are needed to reduce this menace.
Schools can help reduce poverty by offering equal opportunities in academics to all students, when this is done students whose parents cannot afford for them to attend big school also get the chance to attend these schools. This will help students to attain their goals which can help bridge the gap between the rich and the poor in society.
Schools can also help address poverty by providing students with school supplies, books, clothes. There are some students who don’t even have uniforms to wear, others too don’t have writing materials but when all these are provided to these students it will reduce the burden on students and their parents and make students have peace of mind to learn in school.
