Agreed.
I went to Ghana a few years ago to do the same thing, at a school built exclusively at girls. This was because boys got preferential treatment in all things but particularly education so the charity set up a boarding school to educate one girl from each family in the area, with the intention that that girl could then teach her new skills to her sisters. Having an education also reduced the risk of them being used as farm labour, or married off at 13/14 years old and expected to have children.
Words can’t describe the joy these girls showed at having the chance to learn how to read and write, do mathematics, computing, and play games. They were highly disciplined, eager and attentive.
There were free evening classes too for the local adults who also embraced the opportunity to learn. I remember they would dress in their finest suits and dresses just to come to the English classes, such was their respect for this chance to be taught.
The school started small but now has over 200 students, from P1 upwards (this is not based on age but academic ability, so you can have 6yr olds and 12yr olds in the same class). Teachers are all Ghanaian, earning the same salary scales as paid to teachers of government schools. None of the Scottish charity staff takes any salary, only those Ghanaian staff directly associated with the school are paid; teachers, cooks, security.
It’s one of the best things I’ve ever done and I would recommend it to anyone who has the opportunity.
