FACTS
| In 1957 Ghana became the first country in colonial Africa to gain its independence.
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 |  | From February 9 to 23 2002, a group of teachers from Coventry went on a study trip to Ghana.
Over half term and the following week, ten teachers from various primary schools in Coventry visited Ghanaian schools and officials.
The purpose of the visit was to look at the Ghanaians approach to personal, social, health and education (PSHE) and citizenship in action and to encourage global awareness in British education.
 The visit was extremely interesting and worthwhile and has given me some new perspectives as well as ideas for enriching our curriculum.
 | 听 | Helen Elias.
Deputy head at Stoke primary school, Coventry
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The visit was organised by the British Council in conjunction with the Ghana Education Service.
The teachers visited a variety of private and state schools in and around the capital Accra.
They had meetings with officials of the British Council, the Ghana Education Service and the Department for International Development.
They also met with staff from schools who participated in the North South Linking programme between Ghana and the UK.
The teachers visited many schools including a church school, a parents' association school and a state school on the Burma army camp.
| 听 |  | Coventry City footballs given as gifts to the schools
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The following is an excerpt from a report written by one of the teachers, Helen Elias.
"Every day started with an Assembly outside. The children also sang the Ghana National Anthem and other songs. They then marched to their classrooms singing and drumming.
"PSHE and Citizenship is central to the curriculum which reflects their society. Children value and enjoy education, with a clear idea of its future importance.
"Schools follow a national curriculum, which is taught in English. They are trying to introduce teaching in the local African languages.
"The primary schools reminded me of my primary schools in England in the 1950s with large classes, desks in rows facing the board at the front and well behaved hard working pupils who respected their teachers.
"Although the cane could be used, its use was rare and most children's good behaviour seemed to stem from their own sense of what was responsible."
The teachers felt people the UK in comparison to the Ghanaians are too materialistic and have lost sight of responsibilities to the community and society in general.
They think that we can learn a lot from countries like Ghana, in particular, the importance of PSHE and citizenship in the school curriculum.
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