Cancel BECE - educationist recommends

A UK- based Ghanaian educationist,Prince Hamidu Armah believes the Basic Education Cer­tificate Examination (BECE) has become a major impediment to access to secondary education and should be cancelled.

He indicated that an education sys­tem where after primary six, the stu­dent could progress to six years senior high school (SHS) education from SHS 1 to SHS 6 is what the country needs.

The educationist stressed that expanding access to secondary education is not only a matter of building new schools, or rehabilitating and expanding existing ones, neither is it about providing free secondary educa­tion, but, "It is conceptually about removing barriers to secondary educa­tion which BECE has been widely acknowledged."

He stated, "For if we build more new schools and refurbish existing ones without a corresponding increased enrolment in these schools,of what sense is it?" he queried.

Mr Armah, a former tutor at St John's School in Sekondi and currently a PhD candidate (Mathematics Edu­cation) of the University of Aberdeen, UK, was commenting on the fallen standards of education in Ghana in an interview with DAILY GUIDE.

He proposed that between SHS 4 to SHS 6, students could write examinations and present coursework lead­ing to entry to vocational education and training nursing and teacher train­ing colleges, polytechnics and other higher educational levels.

"Our appetite for grouping all post-secondary education in one homogeneous entity should be aban­doned as they have different roles to play in training the human resource needs of the country/' he added.

Mr Armah suggested that the country's internal examinations could be moderated by a proposed examina­tion body to be called the Ghana Examination and Qualification Authority (GEQA).

The proposed GEQA, among oth­ers, could perform the functions of the West African Examination Council (WAEC) and provide accreditation for pre-tertiary schools who write their examination as well.

"This also means we would no longer be under the over 50 years WAEC treaty where examination does not reflect the needs of Ghanaian soci­ety," the educationist added.

He pointed out that the WAEC cer­tificates issued to secondary school graduates appeared to be sub-stan­dard as holders are required to take foundation programmes before entry to undergraduate degree courses at UK universities.

Mr Armah indicated that Ghana needs to set up a 

National

 Credit and Qualification Framework (NCQF) that would clearly specifies each qualifica­tion and its level, which would feed into the whole education system.

"I recommend that the present National Technical and Vocational Education and Training Qualifications Framework (NTVETQF) be reviewed and integrated into the proposed NCQF," he stated.



Source: Daily Guide

8 Tips To Stay Healthy When You're Crazy Busy

I've been an adult college student for the last four years, so I know what it's like to be a responsible adult student trying to keep up with kids half her age while staying healthy at the same time.

It can be difficult (at any age) to just do your homework assignments, make it to class each day, meet up for group projects, and study your butt off. What if you're a grown adult with a job? A family to take care of? A home to look after? Well, that's a nice extra layer of challenge right there.

So, how can a person succeed at school, balance family life, work life, and still stay healthy?

Here are some ideas I've personally found useful in my own life:

1. Bring your meals with you to work and school.

This saves time, money and inches on your waist! It's only a hassle to do this the first week of starting the new routine. After that, it becomes second nature. If you've planned an evening study session with a group of other students, or have other nighttime obligations, pack go-to snacks like chopped veggies, handheld fruits, a small amount of trail mix, etc.

2. Plan all of your meals ahead of time.

Bulk cook and prep on the weekends for your breakfasts and/or lunches. Having Tupperware containers full of salads and breakfast casseroles is a big win for a successful week of eating! Most foods will stay fresh for several days in the fridge. Dedicate one or two hours every weekend for bulk cooking, and you'll be thankful you did.

3. Make the crockpot your dinner date.

Whether you're single or you have an entire family at home to cook for, a slow cooker is a true lifesaver. Every single day that I go to school and work, I prepare a crockpot meal before I head out of the front door. I place pre-chopped onions at the bottom of the crockpot, layer with pre-sliced mushrooms, add a bunch of frozen grass-fed meat, add spices on top of the meat, throw in some frozen or fresh vegetables, and consider adding a can of organic tomato sauce or broth of some sort. That's it. That's the recipe to successful dinners during stressful times!

4. Consider mixing it up with smoothies and shakes for breakfast.

Tossing water, protein powder, raw kale, spinach, and berries into a blender takes all of 20 seconds. It takes 20 seconds to rinse out the blender when you're done too. I know this because I've pretty much stopped eating solid foods for breakfast these days and enjoy a quick protein shake instead. Less clean up, less time, just as filling and healthy!

5. Limit your consumption of booze.

Many people turn to alcohol to relax during stressful situations because it's the easiest thing to use for comfort besides food. Drinking on a regular basis will lead to constant brain fog, lethargy and forgetfulness. How is that helpful?

6. Schedule fitness as a priority.

At this point, you may already be using to-do lists and calendar schedules to keep everything in your life straight. Go ahead and add appointments for your fitness routines. I've personally noticed that no matter how much I enjoy working out, it's the first thing to fall by the wayside if I don't make it a priority.

7. Talk with a mentor, coach, or counselor once or twice a month.

It's amazing to have an unbiased person to help guide you in life, especially during stressful times. You might not feel like you have the time to schedule in a session to talk to someone for one or two hours a month, but believe me, you do.

It doesn't have to be someone you pay $200 an hour to see. Sharing your current stresses with someone can take a huge weight off your shoulders. In most cases, you'll also receive feedback from them on blind spots and strategies to improve your circumstances.

8. Re-evaluate your current priorities and extracurricular activities.

You can't be everything to everyone, and you're no good to anyone if you're worn too thin on time. Pick your battles wisely. This also goes for physical fitness endeavors. When you're incredibly busy, it's probably not the best idea to train for a triathlon or hike the highest mountain summit nearest you.

The time and physical energy required to do this kind of training will certainly take away from time with friends and family, and add stress to your life that you may not be capable of handling for very long. Save these adventures until school is out for the summer.


Source: mindbodygreen.com

Studies Show Eating More Slowly Benefits Your Health and Waistline

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/03/14/chewing-food.aspx?x_cid=20140911_ranart2_facehttp://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/03/14/chewing-food.aspx?x_cid=20140911_ranart2_facebookdocbookdoc

OFFICIAL STATEMENT OF Dr. Bilal Philips

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Most Merciful

10 September, 2014
From Immigration Detention, Davao City
Mindanao, Philippines

Dear Friends, Students, and Supporters,
Salaam alaykum. Peace be upon you all.
I would first like to thank you for all your prayers and various positive expressions of care, concern and support. I’m happy to inform you that I am safe and well-treated in Davao City immigration custody, as my request for voluntary deportation is being processed.

Though I appreciate your rallies and demonstrations of support in Marawi City, Zamboanga and elsewhere, I advise you all to keep calm and not let your genuine expressions of support spiral out of control and degenerate into wanton destruction of property and the loss of life and limb.
Please allow the due process of law to take its course. The false allegations and misunderstandings circulating in the media will be tackled legally in order to clear my name and lift the ban on any future visits to the Philippines – God willing. There is sufficient evidence to prove my innocence in my hundreds of youtube video lectures and khutbahs (see my youtube channel: aabphilips), over 50 published books, many of which can be downloaded freely from my website: www.bilalphilips.com orwww.kalamullah.com, or the hundreds of posts on my official facebook page: Dr. Bilal Philips, with almost 2 million likes.

As to my being on the no-fly black list of America, I join the ranks of Nelson Mandela who was put on it while he was in Robbin Island, and he remained on the list as president of South Africa until he won the Nobel Peace Prize for the same reason he was put on the list in the first place. Because of a narrow policy of the US and inhospitable atmosphere, I prefer not to go to US like one your local public official in Davao City who shunned going to the US for medical treatment. Not to mention the actual meaning of American label placed on me as an un-indicted co-conspirator in the 1993 attempted bombing of the World Trade Center. In normal language, “un-indicted” simply means “no charges have been filed against me due to lack of evidence”, and “co-conspirator” means “guilty by association”, that someone who the authorities arrested had my name in their telephone book, or they were seen shaking hands with me, or they prayed next to me in a mosque, etc.
Regarding the British 3-year ban, based on a statement taken out of context from a video program originally made in 1995 and rebroadcast along with my other programs continuously in Sharjah TV, UAE, since 2003, it has already been successfully demonstrated to Canadian Immigration authorities that I was misquoted. The ban in Australia follows the American lead blindly and the ban in Kenya also blindly follows the British ban. As for the German lifetime ban unilaterally issued by the Mayor of Frankfurt, it was thrown out of court in Germany last year. The Mayor’s appeal was also rejected by the higher courts, he was made to cover all court costs and the ban was lifted. I was not banned or deported from Bangladesh earlier this year as in commonly falsely reported. I entered the country and left on my own will.

Sensational journalism has also played a major role in demonizing me, like that of the daily newspaper which plastered a picture of me on their front page, Sept. 10th issue, with the heading “Suspected Terrorist Arrested”. The related article contained a series of irresponsible, inflammatory and inaccurate statements from PRO 11 Regional Director Chief Superintendent Wendy G. Rosario. Superintendent Rosario was quoted as saying that I was considered a person of interest because of alleged links to a terrorist group outside the country. I have never had any links nor have I ever been accused of having links to any terrorist group. Superintendent Rosario further stated that I was invited for questioning by the police while lecturing in a mosque which is inaccurate, as I did not lecture in any mosque in Davao, my lecture on “Raising Righteous Children” was a public lecture in the Sunny Point Hotel auditorium attended by Muslims and non-Muslims. He then stated that I was prevented from lecturing in Zamboanga scheduled for the 4 and 5th (correctly the 5th and 6th) which is untrue. I personally decided not to go to Zamboanga when the Mayor of Zamboanga withdrew her support by cancelling the venue and her provision of government security forces. She also requested the Department of Justice to prevent me from coming there. The organizers in Zamboanga requested me to come anyway, assuring security from ex-generals from their ranks, but I thought it prudent not to go since the mayor was personally opposed. He then stated that the Bureau of Immigration issued a blacklist order against me on the 4th September, also untrue. They issued the order on the 5th at the request of the Mayor of Zamboanga, and I arrived in the country on the 4th. He then mentioned that there was a report that I was already blacklisted while failing to mention that the previous blacklisting was lifted by the government. Such irresponsible sensational journalism has been identified by the UK government’s Runymede Report as a major source of Islamophobia. I trust and pray that the majority of the people of the Philippines will not tolerate such attitude.

It is very sad that lecturers and speakers like myself who call to Islamic moderation and oppose extremism, terrorism, indiscriminate violence and revolt, are blocked from conveying this peaceful message to Muslim minority communities. We recognize that extremism is a product of ignorance of true Islamic teachings so we promote in our lectures the acquisition of correct knowledge and the practice of Islam’s authentic teachings. In banning and demonizing us, they have created a vacuum of information which continues to be exploited and filled by extremist elements who easily recruit youthful impressionable followers with emotional messages to their savage, violent and merciless unIslamic methodologies and ideologies.

I have always been a proponent of peaceful solutions to our problems as you all know, the motto of my university (Islamic Online University.com) is “Changing the Nation Through Education”. Please be an active part of this prophetic methodology for change by joining the ranks of over 180,000 registered students in my university, most of whom are studying free of any charge in the free Islamic Studies Diploma program.

Peace be upon you all.
Dr. Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips
Chancellor, Islamic Online University

Analysis: Kwesi Appiah, Ghana’s new man

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by Gary Al-Smith 10/04/2012, 13:49

The man on the touchline at the Zimpeto Stadium was not a soldier – but he looked like it. Military style haircut, trimmed beard, sparkling shoes, coiffed features and well-pressed trousers.

After the nervy penalty shootout at Mozambique’s national stadium, Ghana’s male team won gold at the All Africa Games after beating Cameroon in this September 2011 final. Ghana had not been able to do this in 56 years, yet the man in the dugout did not celebrate wildly.

He politely shook hands with his technical team. Then he said words of congratulations to his players. Then, after hanging around for a bit more, he quietly left for the dressing room. That sums up the exterior of Ghana’s new coach, Kwesi Appiah, whose appointment was announced on the evening of Easter Monday.

The news came as a surprise at a time when former French captain Marcel Desailly was widely reported to have grabbed the job.

SuperSport.com runs the rule of the events leading to the choice and assesses the fears and hopes associated with it.

What happened to Marcel?

Until last Saturday morning, Marcel Desailly was 97 per cent sure that he was to lead Ghana. Once again, the job he has wanted for years is out of his grasp.

When he met the Ghana FA president on Saturday it was to go over, for the last time, the only issue that made up the three per cent uncertainty for the former French captain. Kwesi Nyantakyi asked Marcel if his offer still stood. Marcel said “yes”.

Currently an employee of Canal+, Marcel Desailly earns in excess of €2 million annually for punditry and other fringe jobs. To leave those deals and settle in Ghana for the Back Stars would have meant a financial loss.

The businessman in him could not risk it. So he did the most prudent thing.

According to Ernest Koranteng, a journalist with Accra-based Joy FM and one of those at the forefront of the post-Goran Stevanovic saga, Marcel Desailly wanted some big cash. “Marcel wanted at least a €100 000. It was not because he felt he was worth that alone but because of his pedigree and what he would lose elsewhere if he takes the Ghana job.”

Kwesi Nyantakyi flatly told Marcel that Ghana simply could not give him that kind of cash. SuperSport.com reported last week that Marcel also demanded control if he was chosen. It was reported that former Chelsea assistant Ray Wilkins would have been drafted as Marcel’s deputy. Again, the stumbling block for that reported demand was money, which the Ghana FA simply were not willing to pay.

So Desailly left the meeting and, perhaps, he waved goodbye for the last time to being hands-on favourite to lead his biological nation for the next few years.

The Ghana FA boss took his phone and placed a call. Plan B needed to be executed and fast.

Getting Kwesi Appiah

The fact that 51-year-old Kwesi Appiah took the news calmly did not shock anyone. His controlled temperament is one of his biggest assets. When the call came to him, he took it on the chin, as usual.

“Kwesi was pleasantly surprised but he did not react [when he was told he had the Black Stars job]. He was quiet at first and then later accepted it. Even he did not expect it because he honestly believed Marcel was already going to get it,” said a source at the FA on Monday night.

“[Ghana FA boss] Nyantakyi did not really want Desailly for many reasons but he did not have a lot of options either. Appiah was basically the lesser of two evils.”

An FA source said: “Some members of the FA were not in favour of Kwesi getting even more than $5 000 a month, which would have been criminal. He surprised everybody by insisting calmly that he won’t settle for anything less than an expatriate will take.”

Kwesi Appiah’s insistence was, for a moment, an outstanding issue. It was quickly resolved as he was promised a juicy deal. “It is not going to be as much as a European will be paid but it will be far better than locals are used to,” the FA source said.

SuperSport.com has learned that the new man will get nothing less than €10 000 a month, with as much as €15 000 in total if add-ons are considered.

Attributes and risk

“Can Kwesi Appiah do the job?”

That’s the usual question any coach will face, but this man in particular will need to be more convincing than most. Kwesi Appiah is Ghana's first local boss since 2002, when Emmanuel Afranie lost his job to a European. Since then there have been three Serbians, a Frenchman, a Portuguese and two Germans.

The mentality of the people he will serve will be a huge challenge for Appiah. You would have thought someone who was assistant coach at the last World Cup and at Afcon 2008, 2010 and 2012 would have the support of his countrymen.

Abedi Pele, the man who took the Black Stars captaincy from Kwesi Appiah in controversial circumstances in 1992, has been the first to lend his support. “I don’t mind if a Ghanaian takes the job. Look, those who have won all the trophies for Ghana are all local coaches. What is wrong with keeping a local coach?”

That kind of support, though, is in short supply. The court of public opinion is sharply divided over this man who, despite being Plan C, has been given the nod. However, several people close to Ghana’s new man told SuperSport.com that he is determined to prove doubters wrong.

GFA’s Communication Director knows how dicey this appointment is. “It is important that we support him but the FA is aware of how uncomfortable people will be, especially because Kwesi has not held a team in that regard. Let’s not forget that Marcel – who the FA never mentioned as a successor like many media people did – has not coached any team before. Besides, Kwesi has national team experience,” said Ibrahim Saanie Daara.

When Ghana went to Mozambique for the 2011 All Africa Games, it was Appiah who took a hastily assembled team that had endured disorganised administration and won gold.

Does it guarantee him support in his new job?

Appiah’s uninspiring past

In the 12 hours or so since the announcement, the FA has been at pains to stress that the new man has their backing in every respect. They are allowing him to choose his own assistant, which SuperSport.com has been told will be Maxwell Konadu, the current Kotoko boss.

One argument that came up strongly for Marcel Desailly was his charisma and ability to kill off egos in the dressing room. Ex-Ghana international Sammy Kuffuor had pushed for Desailly based on this, on SuperSport’s Soccer Africa show.

“For me, if there is a possibility, I think Desailly should be given the job. It will be nice to see Kwasi Appiah assist him, because he has been in the system for a long time and will give Marcel vital information on the local side. If you combine Marcel's international exposure and Kwasi's local wisdom, it will be very great.”

To the contrary, Appiah is seen as docile and unassertive. Indeed, history is filled with situations to support this. In 2001, Appiah was made assistant to interim Ghana boss Cecil Jones Attuquayefio. They played four games, drawing against Nigeria and losing the rest. Kwesi Appiah took a surprising amount of blame because he was said to be uninspiring.

Going further back, the legendary Charles Kumi Gyamfi, winner of three of Ghana’s four Afcon trophies, gave the captaincy to Abedi Pele before the 1992 African Cup simply because Appiah could not stand his ground for it. Gyamfi, then the technical director of the team, made the point that Abedi spoke French, a quality Gyamfi felt would be needed in the tournament to be hosted by French-speaking Senegal.

To this day, many feel Appiah could have held on to the band had he been a bit more forceful. In today’s era of overpaid national team players, will his perceived docility see him being pushed around?

Counter arguments

Those in favour of Appiah argue that he has been in leadership positions too many times not to able to handle the big job. He played for Ghanaian giants Kotoko from 1982 to 1993, captaining the side for a lot of that time and leading them to many memorable trophies.

His determination is not the loud type that is noticed by all but Kwesi Appiah wields soft power. He is principled and strong-willed, say his supporters but even they will agree that the man is yet to show these qualities openly.

What he needs, Appiah’s backers say, is support. Support from the FA, support from the media and, most importantly, support from the public.

Going forward

Kwesi Appiah’s immediate task will be to win over his people when the qualifiers come around in June. Despite being an afterthought, it will be a great boost for local coaches should the new man do well. It just might be the nail in the coffin for those who feel a foreigner is the best bet for Ghana.

After all, Ghana has not made such a substantive appointment for a long time. The last person to be credibly appointed in such a manner as Kwesi Appiah has, was Charles Kumi Gyamfi in the lead up to Ghana’s last African Cup win in 1982.

As Kwesi Appiah’s supporters will remind you, Ghana has never won an African Cup under an expatriate. This may be time to revive us again.

BREAKING NEWS: GFA SACKS BLACK STARS COACH KWASI APPIAH

Posted by Dennis Mirpuri on Sep 11, 2014 in BREAKING NEWS |

The Ghana Football Association has sacked Black Stars Coach Kwasi Appiah from his post after an Executive Committee meeting on Thursday, Campionesport.com sources have revealed. No reason has been given for Appiah’s dismissal but reports say the FA has lost confidence in the former Asante Kotoko defender quality to manage the senior national team. The Black Stars headline sponsor, the Ghana National Petroleum will now have to pay Coach Kwasi Appiah a severance package since he recently penned a 2-year-deal. The GFA is expected to appoint Milovan Rajevac as the Head Coach of the Black Stars after the Serbian flew into the country on Tuesday night to hold talks with the nation’s football governing body.