Arts in Ghana

1. Professional Artefact, May 2013
Will a UK accredited Drama/Performing Arts programme be
effective in schools in Ghana?
Afi Agyeman, Middlesex University

2. Rationale
✤ Equip students with adequate knowledge and skills in performing
✤ Nurture talent in youths
✤ Create a better perception for adults of the benefits of Performing
Arts
✤ Establish a relationship between education and Performing Arts

3. Background
✤ Capital: Accra
✤ Government: Republic
✤ Currency: Ghana Cedi (GHC)
✤ Population: 24.2 million (2010)

4. Culture of Ghana
✤ Culture means Life-Style manifested by particular people/society

5. History Of Arts in Ghana
✤ In 1958 the experimental theatre players was founded by Efua
Sutherland
✤ In 1959 ‘The National Symphony Orchestra of Ghana’ was created
✤ In 1961 it was renamed ‘The Ghana Drama Studio’
✤ In 1968 a touring theatre company called the Kusum players was
created
✤ In 1992 the National Theatre was built on the site of the drama studio

6. History cont.
✤ The Ghana Drama Studio was moved to the University of Ghana at
Legon, and was rebuilt as an exact replica of the original Drama
Studio. Joe de Graft later became the first director of what is now
known as the School of Performing Arts after its separation from the
Institute of African Studies to become the School of Music, Dance and
Drama. The School offers diploma and two undergraduate degree
programmes in addition to graduate level programmes up to the PhD
level.

7. Pioneers of Arts in Ghana
✤ Efua Sutherland (1924-1996) Joe Coleman De Graft (1924-1978) Ama Ata Aidoo (1942-present)
✤ Kwame Nkrumah (1909-1972) J.J Rawlings (1947-present)

8. The National Theatre, Accra
✤ Opened in 1992
✤ Built by the Chinese as a Gift to ghana formally known as the Gold
Coast
✤ Hosts three resident companies the National Dance Company, the
National Symphony Orchestra, and the National Theatre Players

9. Facts about schools
✤ 12,630 primary schools, 5,450 junior secondary schools, 503 senior
secondary schools, 38 teacher training colleges, 18 technical
institutions, two diploma-awarding institutions and five public
universities
✤ Most children begin their education at the age of three or four starting
from nursery school to kindergarten, then primary school, junior
high school, senior high school, and university.
✤ Ghana has B.E.C.E that means "Basic Education Certificate
Examination" the equivalent to U.K.‘s GCSE’S and this exam has to be
taken before a student is accepted into senior high school.

10. Facts about schools cont.
✤ Examined subjects: Mathematics, English, Social Studies, Integrated
Science,Basic Designing and Technology, Information
Communication and Technology, Religious and Moral Education,
French
✤ International schools follow either the French, Swiss, American or
British curriculum

11. Drama in the curriculum
✤ 83.3% of my survey participants agreed creativity is important in
studies
✤ Finding and nurturing talent at a young age can help students see if
this is a career they would like to pursue or even just help them grow
a person
✤ Culture is important in the Ghanaian society, creativity in studies
could promote appreciation of Ghanaian arts and culture in schools
✤ Create performance opportunities for the youth
✤ Potential examining bodies: AQA, Edexcel

12. How can Arts be promoted in
Schools?
✤ Awareness Encouragement Facilities
Teachers
✤ More plays and theatre visits

13. How can Arts be promoted in
Schools and Ghana?
✤ Funding Advertising Collaboration

14. Micheal Akenoo
I am optimistic that Ghana can effect an accelerated
pace of developing her theatre in the 21st century if she can take
advantage of the present favorable and unprecedented conditions
prevailing in the country, namely, the possession of a national theatre
building, a Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture and the recent
establishment of Theatre Arts Departments at the
University of Education Winneba, the University of Cape Coast
and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.

15. John Mensah Sarbah
The study of their own
ancient as well as
modern history has been
shamefully neglected
by educated inhabitants
of the Gold Coast

16. By Afi Agyeman
✤ Afiagyeman.blogspot.com