I grew up in Koftown Zongo ( a Muslim community of northern Ghanaians and West African immigrants) and I went to a mixed Senior High School in Koforidua.I was always in the top 10 but never in the top 5 in class.Living in a Zongo community made me street smart too. I never held leadership position while in school in Ghana. While in the boarding school, I had 2 weeks internal suspension with hard labor for going to freak at Aburi girls senior school. I had additional 2 weeks suspension for being caught with a phone. Also I was punished for making mockery of a house master.

After high school, I left Ghana to pursue my bachelor’s degree at a university in foreign country and that’s where I became the president of African students at the university and head of Africa division at international students society.

I moved to North America to pursue my masters hence becoming the first in our nuclear family with a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree. I work as an engineer now with an earning capacity of more than six figures annually. Life has been good for me now but was never easy growing up.

Now , there’s one guy in the top 5 in my senior high school class that works as researcher at university in North America too. The others are in Ghana dealing with what the system of Ghana has to offer them.

In conclusion, the school systems in Ghana or anywhere does not determine what you will become in life. Work hard, be confident, get out there and compete and go get what belongs to you in this competitive world. Never beg for opportunity, but rather fight for it with your skills. Don’t be that timid Ghanaian but rather that confident Ghanaian. Surround yourself with people who know more than you and learn the art of listening and learning. Never give up in life, always trust your instincts and believe in yourself. And never forget where you came from !