Hello People:
I think the discourse is constructive. Again, I did not include the responses because I would be responding multiple times on the same issue. Just samples: Oga Udeamuche, Ezeani and Oba Afis raised some dust in various shades of protestations about their particular schools (Afis) or Nigerians in general while Denis Mukefor added light to the essential qualitative aspects of a good institution of learning, taking the historic Sasse in Cameroon to task.
Whereas sound education is holistic with habits of the mind molded, it is not only academics. The learning environment, amenities, and ethos/values help in producing graduates who are enlightened from within and without. Therefore, passing exams with high scores does not necessarily unleash functional people to the world to change society. Of course, they passed, pursued their disciplines, and earn a living. That is what the workforce is meant for. However, the best schools strive to produce a league of a certain class above ordinary inhabitants of the earth - the game changers, posterity agents.
We should also note that a good percentage of rogues, 419ers, anti-social nuts, closed-minded freaks, inside the box thinkers, etc. are very intelligent people who went to school. The American uni-bomber had an exceptional IQ. The other serial killer who terrorized America and manipulated a young Jamaican accomplice was not dull. Ezeani, does that answer your question? Go beyond passing exams for the indispensable refinement of the mind. There are lots of model Nigerians. I remain fascinated by the working of Ojukwu's mind, especially during the negotiations of the Aburi Accord. So you do not speak for Nigerians. You may speak for your school.
In the qualitative survey, students are asked about their condition of learning that also enables the cultivation of values. As Mukefor pointed out, why would alumni who supposedly impact societies allow their alma mater to fall into disrepair? In deed, even royalty care. For example, this week in the US, Prince William and the Duchess Kate were at a fundraiser for their alma mater.
Sure, former students of top performing schools continue to raise the bar, attracting international attention and resources for their alma mater, which perpetuate the storied excellence. This habit of commitment, something beyond the self, narrow comfort zones, is a trait that propels the world. US Ivy leagues are reportedly seeking graduates from the best schools in Africa. That also accounts for why the increase of black students in Ivy leagues is a result of African and Caribbean enrollment. Please, the research has been published several times.
Now, instead of posting retorts for discord, perhaps just raise the bar, even have a conference on curricula and the role of former students.
Take care everyone.
MsJoe
To Lead You Must be a Servant
--
From: MsJoe21St <MsJoe21St@aol.com>
Sent: Wed, Dec 10, 2014 10:48 pm
Subject: Explaining 100 Best Secondary Schools in Africa:Lourdes/other questions
From: MsJoe21St <MsJoe21St@aol.com>
Sent: Wed, Dec 10, 2014 10:48 pm
Subject: Explaining 100 Best Secondary Schools in Africa:Lourdes/other questions
Good day. To all who did not get the list of the 2013 ranking of the Best Secondary Schools in Africa, it is included at the end of the mail. Every year, the list causes glee or dissent depending on who is in or out.
Thanks for the constructive assessments or questions. Note: Mishe Fon is a njakiri boy; I do not think he intends to have any productive exchange. Very soon, he will veer.... on how villages in Cameroon cannot compete with his on bottle- dance in Cameroon, deacons who steal goats in another area, and whether Sierra Leone knows where Libya is. Lol, the while thing will end up having nothing to do with the topic. But Mishe is fun while at it.
Okay, I will try to provide some answers in furtherance of meaningful discourse. I did not include the questions or comments because I would have had to compile the responses. Laugh anywhere when I am simply reporting actual alumni events as they happened - to underscore the point to a question.
In explaining the ranking of the 100 Best Secondary Schools in Africa, there must be a standardized, terminal exam as a prerequisite. It means the content and performance standards must be comparable regionally or internationally. It cannot be comparable only in the country because the contents are not aligned with international benchmarks. For examples: the London originated GCE or GCSE, which is administered in schools all over the world, provides the basis for valid comparison. West African schools that take the WAEC, with an Annual Awards program for the best individual students in subjects and overall scores, have a basis for comparison. Francophone schools in Africa made the list, which means there is a comparable exam that the students take.
Notably, the best schools in Africa are comparable to the best schools anywhere based on standardized results. It is no small wonder that these students excel in US Ivy league campuses.
Mukefor made note of the highly acclaimed International Baccalaureate (IB). The IB is a curriculum framework, an educational model, which allows schools to meet their local requirements as well as the IB's. What I mean is that an IB school can still participate in local, regional or international (global) exam. LOL, I know this as a writer of charter school applications. All students, regardless of the curriculum, must take the school district's tests.
I am not sure if the content and performance standards of the Cameroon GCE or BAC are still aligned with international / regional benchmarks as they were in through the eighties. If no, it answers Gwen's and Uncle SAF's questions. These schools are not considered. This applies to schools in other countries where the terminal exams are not aligned with comparable international standards. If yes, we move to the next stage on how the best schools in Africa are initially identified - based on the results.
Absolute performance: These are composite scores that show the actual performances of students in the schools - beyond individual nations. The results are ranked. This is not a national ranking or else it would be best schools in Cameroon; Liberia, Nigeria, Malawi, Kenya, etc; not Africa.
Longitudinal performance: The results of the top performing schools are compared over the years. This provides insight on consistency - history of high performances. It discounts mere circumstances, one time or periodic wonders, mishap, cheating, etc.
Comparative performance: When the best performances are consistent over time, the results are then compared among schools. This shows how the schools performed relative to other schools taking the comparable exam. This further comparison provides the basis for ranking the results and getting the best, which would be more than 100.
Next, other qualifiers kick in - such as the quality of life in these schools - aka Support for Learning. They include infrastructures such as the library, lab, research amenities, buildings (not in disrepair); food; health, counseling services; extracurricular focus, PTA, relationship with the school's alumni association, opportunities provided, etc. Students and staff can also respond to surveys in order to obtain the qualitative information.
Some of the critical improvements are funded by the storied, official alumni associations that naturally derive their legitimacy from, and that maintain close ties with, the school with undeniable positive influence. This answers Roses' questions. Lourdes and LESANs cannot be in this major league of alumni movers and shakers due to the fact that split groups can only harm the school's image because no school in the entire world has two factional alumni groups as a normal thing. A survey of staff and students will just kill any chance of further consideration as they would indicate the grief and send the evaluators running very far...lol.
I will take two examples of how alumni associations are powerful and constructive, which have helped in maintaining their 100 best schools ranking.
1) Prince Edward, Zimbabwe and the graduates called Old Hararians. These people, with active, contributing presence in their old school, even have roads and sports - cricket clubs. Lol, Mugabe threatened to rename the school with an African name when Britain became his foe. But a name that has built such reputable influence is a vital, intangible asset. The name change became a huge controversy. It was resolved with the names of few dormitories changed from British to African names. Prince Edward has always made the 10 in Africa.
2) There is a story about Adisadel Old Boys (Ghana) Association - the (Santaclausians.) The boys are bad!!!! as in just too good. They fund infrastructures, complete with the blue prints of an engineering firm. I have sent this to Ghanaian forums to share this particular memory. At one of the Adisadel Annual events called Prize Giving Day, the Head of Ghana's National Assembly and the Supreme Court were Santaclausians. So they made the seating head of state, John Kofi Agyekum Kufuor, an honorary Santaclausian to sweep all three branches of government - Executive, Legislative and Judiciary. It was hilarious!!!!!
St Joseph's College, Sasse in Cameroon aka Sasse was mentioned in the responses. This happens to be my dad's alma mater, Chief Tom Ikimi's of Nigeria, and notable personalities in Cameroon, including a former Prime Minister. Sasse is included among the 50 historic schools in Africa. In its heyday, Sasse defined the finest future and current thermometer of a society in progress. But Sasse may be hindered by infrastructure problems and over-crowding that may have diminished the quality of its gloried days. Sasse Old Boys Association and SOBANs, you can do something.
I hope I provided some insights. When my parents had to leave Cameroon for other duties, they consulted the best list for my younger siblings. That is how I began looking forward to the list and following up on the marvelous stories in the campuses, including my younger brothers' former schools in Kenya and Malawi on the best list.
MsJoe
Date:Wed, Dec 10, 2014 at 11:20 AM
Subject:[camnetwork] 2013 Ranking of Best Secondary Schools in Africa
Hello Ladies:
The equivalent of Lourdes and Sacred Heart ( producers of best results in Cameroon - but did not make the list) are Methodist Boys and Methodist Girls in Sierra Leone - both schools made the list.=========================================================================As noted, there has been a remarkably high rise of excellent schools in Africa that are attracting resources and international recommendations. The ranking by the The African Economist based on research includes schools with exceptional facilities, good learning environment and consistent high education standards, contributions of graduates - alumni association and public image. Numerous sources conduct survey of students. For example: http://serveafrica.info/secondary-school-satisfaction-survey
"Whilst government schools within African countries started off the best, following independence, much has changed. For the most part, private schools, which includes missionary school, outperform government schools. In addition, international schools have taken Africa by storm." Below is the list of 100 best secondary schools, which is shared with the global community.
1. Grey College South Africa
2. Rift Valley Academy Kenya
3. King Edward VII School South Africa
4. Hilton College South Africa
5. St. George's College Zimbabwe
6. Prince Edward School Zimbabwe
7. International School of Kenya Kenya
8. Accra Academy Ghana
9. Lycée Lamine Guèye Senegal
10. Adisadel College Ghana
11. St John's College Houghton South Africa
12. Maritzburg College South Africa
13. Lycée Guebre Mariam Ethiopia
14. Selborne College South Africa
15. St Alban's College South Africa
16. Lycée Lyautey Morocco
17. Durban High School South Africa
18. Grey High School South Africa
19. St Andrew`s College South Africa
20. Gateway High School Zimbabwe
21. Glenwood High School South Africa
22. Rainbow International School Uganda
23. Lycée Moulay Youssef Morocco
24. Kearsney College South Africa
25. St. James High School Zimbabwe
26. Wynberg Boys High School South Africa
27. Pretoria Boys High School South Africa
28. Lycée Français de Tananarive Madagascar
29. Mauritius College of the Air Mauritius
30. International School Moshi Tanzania
31. Le Collège Mermoz Ivory Coast
32. Strathmore School Kenya
33. Parktown Boys' High School South Africa
34. International School of Tanganyika Tanzania
35. Holy Child School Ghana
36. Christ The King College Onitsha Nigeria
37. Graeme College South Africa
38. Jeppe High School for Boys South Africa
39. Alliance High School Kenya
40. Hillcrest School Jos Nigeria
41. Kingswood College South Africa
42. Hamilton High School Zimbabwe
43. Lincoln International School Uganda
44. Lycée Victor Hugo Morocco
45. Alexandra High School South Africa
46. École Normale Supérieure Guinea
47. Ghana International School Ghana
48. Arundel School Zimbabwe
49. Rondebosch Boys' High School South Africa
50. Starehe Boys' Centre Kenya
51. American International School of Johannesburg South Africa
52. Victoria Park High School South Africa
53. Methodist Boys High School Sierra Leone
54. Harare International School Zimbabwe
55. Methodist Girls High School Sierra Leone
56. Lenana School Kenya
57. St. Andrew's High School Malawi
58. Benoni High School South Africa
59. Waddilove High School Zimbabwe
60. Roedean School South Africa
61. Wykeham Collegiate Independent School for Girls South Africa
62. Lycee Francais du Caire Egypt
63. Christian Brothers' College Bulawayo Zimbabwe
64. Kamuzu Academy Malawi
65. Mount Pleasant High School Zimbabwe
66. Mfantsipim School Ghana
67. Chisipite Senior School Zimbabwe
68. Gayaza High School Uganda
69. Kutama College Zimbabwe
70. Wheelus High School Libya
71. Michaelhouse School South Africa
72. Westville Boys' High School South Africa
73. Namilyango College Uganda
74. Government College Umuahia Nigeria
75. Muir College South Africa
76. Wesley Girls High School Ghana
77. Alexander Sinton High School South Africa
78. Lycée Faidherbe Senegal
79. Royal College Port Louis Mauritius
80. Lycée La Fontaine Niger
81. Lycée Lyautey de Casablanca Morocco
82. Settlers High School South Africa
83. Nyeri High School Kenya
84. Pinetown Boys' High School South Africa
85. Kings' College Lagos Nigeria
86. Lycée Français Liberté Mali
87. Paarl Boys' High School South Africa
88. St. Paul's College Namibia
89. Tafari Makonnen School Ethiopia
90. Wynberg Girls' High School South Africa
91. Bingham Academy Ethiopia
92. Port Shepstone High School South Africa
93. Clapham High School South Africa
94. Hillcrest Secondary School Kenya
95. South African College School South Africa
96. Lycée Blaise Diagne Senegal
97. St Mary's Diocesan School for Girls South Africa
98. Townsend High School Zimbabwe
99. St.Gregory's College Nigeria
100. St. Patrick School Zimbabwe__._,_.___
Reply via web post • Reply to sender • Reply to group • Start a New Topic • Messages in this topic (3) Camnetwork is the premier Cameroon/Cameroun forum since 1997.
.
__,_._,___
Listserv moderated by Toyin Falola, University of Texas at Austin
To post to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com
To subscribe to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue+subscribe@googlegroups.com
Current archives at http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue
Early archives at http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa/ads/index.html
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "USA Africa Dialogue Series" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to usaafricadialogue+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
No comments:
Post a Comment