search-icon
CHRIS-VINCENT Writes!

The Work Culture of Ghanaian Students | Why Don’t Most Ghanaian University Students Work?

mcdonalds-cashier

 

A few years ago when I was an undergraduate student, I had friends who were also studying in Ghana frequently asking me to send them some little cash—because things were tough for them as students.

This is a case of one student at different part of the world asking another student to chip in some coins to relieve him of his financial struggles. Those I could help, I did and those I couldn’t, I had to constantly remind them that I was a student just like them, depending on a part time job.

I didn’t understand and still do not understand why most Ghanaian University students do not have part time jobs, which can go a long way to put some money in their pockets—just like most students in Europe and America do.

From College to University, I did several jobs—-I worked at Argos, Mataland, Marriot Hotel and I remember working at Hotel Chocolate one summer. I did not only have a job during school breaks, though I worked more than the usual when on vacation. Most College and University students like me did and continue to do the same. I had several friends who worked at Costa Coffee, Starbucks, TopShop, KFC, Nandos, Marks and Spencer and other places…

Working as a student in Europe and America has become a tradition, with most of the workers at Footlocker, Sports Direct, H&M and other shops being mostly students. In fact, not having a job as a student goes against the norm—students do all these jobs to help develope a working culture and more importantly, to have some extra cash to support their own offside activities.

However, when it comes to Ghana, you will hardly find a Legon student working at on the RUN, Melcom or any of those shops—simply because they think they are above working at these places. With a lot of time on their hands each weekend, you find students doing literally nothing—except to chat from morning to evening.

It’s not just Legon students but throughout the country, students have this mindset that all what a student has to do is to study and that working in any of those retail outlets, fast food restaurants, filling stations among others are well beneath their standards. Even if these students do not need the little cash that they will get from working at these places, what about the need to develop a working culture and be able to develop the required work ethics during studies?

Recently, I listened to a programme on BBC Radio 4 on which an American professor spoke about her research, saying, affluent students in America are all over the country working in Starbucks, Footlocker and other places. Considering their background, she decided to find out why these students who did not actually need the peanuts they were being paid were so dedicated and eager to work at these places—sometimes forgoing classes to even go to work.

The long and short of the above is that, even those students who do not really need the money or care less about the pay in the West are still working, occupying their weekends and nights with jobs while poorer students in Africa have develop this huge EGO—which places them above having a part time job at some of the most common places around.

Interestingly, students in Ghana do not want to work because they are students and those places where they can work are far below their standard. But when they get an opportunity to travel, you will catch these same students working in McDonalds, KFC and other places. You will argue that they do so because of the money, but that contradicts the research I mentioned above which seeks to establish that, there is more to the student working culture than money…

Being a student in any part of the world is not a certificate to engage in only academic learnings, it is an excuse to do those jobs you find less valuable and interesting—and engage in a new lifestyle that fits within the hustle scope of being a student.

I remember how together with several others, I used to go to University with sandwich that I’ve made at home because those being sold at the University restaurant were a little expensive. The excuse was, I am a student and I need to save on anything I can.

I don’t want to conclude that most Ghanaian students are just lazy but it doesn’t connect well when you can’t find any substantive reason to excuse their non-working habit. Probably, they are just EGOISTIC and feel far better than those who work in the areas they can easily find jobs…

What do you think is going on?



READ ALSO: Refused A UK Visa? CLICK HERE FOR HELP

CLICK HERE to subscribe to our daily up-to-date news!!

POPULAR POSTS

LATEST NEWS

MORE FROM CHRIS-VINCENT Writes!

No related posts found...

72 thoughts on “The Work Culture of Ghanaian Students | Why Don’t Most Ghanaian University Students Work?”

  1. Good article Chris. The truth be told and it is, Ghanaians are LAZY and they think they are posh. You will find girls from the North working in restaurants when students could equally do that job and do it better. This is why I have stopped sending money to anyone in Ghana. I have my own life to take care, lazy people

    Reply
    • Young lady, Get off ur high horse. Madam high and mighty. Take it easy wai. Don’t be soo hasty to call anyone laxy . U are a lady

      Reply
      • If they are not lazy, what are they? This is why Ghana is at where it is. No one is allowed to even say the truth

        Reply
        • young lady…..i will respect you and respect myself and be veeery civil with you and tell you that when you make a statement implying that 22million people including my mother my father your relatives and many more are lazy due to your narrow perspective it leaves room for people including me to think you did not actually think thoroughly about your statement before making it.Proverbs 17:28 Selah

          Reply
          • Honey, allow the lady to have an opinion. if you think otherwise, state your opinion and give your reason. Do not attack her and bring your family into this.

        • IF YOU WANT GHANA TO BE SOME HIGH PLACE THEN WHY DONT YOU LEAVE THAT FOREIGN COUNTRY AND COME BUILD GHANA. NONSENSE

          Reply
          • Trust me we are working on it. and that money you guys keep asking us for, we would like to save it and build capital to come and make changes in GH.

      • If they are not lazy, what are they? This is why Ghana is at where it is. No one is allowed to even say the truth

        Reply
      • If they are not lazy, what are they? This is why Ghana is at where it is. No one is allowed to even say the truth

        Reply
    • Young lady, Get off ur high horse. Madam high and mighty. Take it easy wai. Don’t be soo hasty to call anyone laxy . U are a lady

      Reply
    • Young lady, Get off ur high horse. Madam high and mighty. Take it easy wai. Don’t be soo hasty to call anyone laxy . U are a lady

      Reply
    • I just read this somewhere, and it summarises my thoughts on this really.

      “It is better to be usefully employed doing anything rather than nothing. Even if you don’t really enjoy your job, it beats being unemployed. Being unemployed saps your confidence, your self-respect and your bank account – which will make it even harder for you to find a sense of direction.”

      SOURSE: http://www.facebook.com/1stStepGhana

      Reply
      • #THISISIT If everyone can put their ego aside and understand this quote then maybe you will understand that maybe you are looking in the wrong places. Some of our parents have gone through blood and sweat selling even in the market to put us through school. today you have made it to volta hall and think you are above the job your parents did. Remember, until you graduate the first 4 years, you are not above anything, you are unemployed. Refer to the above quote to know what it means to be unemployed. If you are ok with that then don’t get offended. this article is just not to you

        Reply
    • WELL YOU ARE A GHANAIAN TOO. IF YOU FEEL LIKE NOT SHARING WHAT YOU HAVE WORKED FOR WITH ANYONE DON’T INSULT DEM. YOU ARE HAPPY WORKING THERE BUT IF YOU WERE IN GHANA YOU PROBABLY NOT WORK JUST LIKE THEY WAY YOU THINK PEOPLE HERE ARE NOT WORKING. IT MIGHT BE A CULTURAL THING TO DO IN EUROPE AND AMERICA. BUT IN GHANA AND OTHER AFRICAN COUNTRIES OPPORTUNITIES AREN’T IN ABUNDANCE AS YOU GET IT OUTSIDE. PEOPLE AREN’T LAZY, STUDENTS AREN’T LAZY, THEY LOOK AND SEARCH BUT THERE AREN’T ENOUGH JOB OPPORTUNITIES THERE TO ACCOMMODATE DEM. I BET YOU ARE ALSO DOING THOSE MENIAL JOBS YOU WOULD NOT HAVE EVEN CONSIDERED DOING IF YOU WERE IN GHANA. SO DON’T USE YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH YOUR FRIENDS TO MAKE AN UNSUBSTANTIATED GENERALIZATION ABOUT ALL STUDENTS IN GHANA. AND DON’T SAY ITS NOT ALL ABOUT MONEY. MONEY PLAYS A BIG ROLE, I BET IF YOU ARE OFFERED TWO PLACES TO WORK AND ONE WILL PAY YOU MORE THAN THERE OTHER, YOU WILL CHOSE THE ONE THAT WILL PAY YOU LESS RIGHT?. I DON’T THINK SO.

      Reply
  2. Good article Chris. The truth be told and it is, Ghanaians are LAZY and they think they are posh. You will find girls from the North working in restaurants when students could equally do that job and do it better. This is why I have stopped sending money to anyone in Ghana. I have my own life to take care, lazy people

    Reply
  3. Good article Chris. The truth be told and it is, Ghanaians are LAZY and they think they are posh. You will find girls from the North working in restaurants when students could equally do that job and do it better. This is why I have stopped sending money to anyone in Ghana. I have my own life to take care, lazy people

    Reply
    • On the run, Nandos, Chicken In, Pizza In, Creamy In Melcom, Maxmart, Shoprite, Frankies, Papaye, Country Kitchen, Chicken lickin, Southern fried Chicken Noble house, Sumo vision, Unique Floral, Front desk, Waiter, or Chef, at Holiday in, Golden Tulip, La Palm, Shell shop cashier, mobil shop, Fuel attendant(goil, total,etc) boutiques……. should I keep going or have they decided to see themselves above these jobs

      Reply
      • WELL IF YOU DONT FIND DEM DER IT DOESNT MEAN THEY ARE NOT WORKING OR LAZY. THERE ARE OTHER PLACES THEY MIGHT BE WORKING FOR WHAT EVER EXPERIENCE THE CONSIDER VALUABLE TO DIER DEVELOPMENT

        Reply
        • 1. the author of the article said he did not want to call them lazy so he went with the word Egoistic.
          2. If students are working in other places developing habits, this article, is not for those students. it is for those who are still in school and not working and feel broke and keep hitting up other students abroad for money. The point of the whole article was make yourself useful. People abroad will gladly give you money if they know you are working and making yourself useful. No one wants to help anyone who isn’t helping himself and that applies in everything in life.

          Reply
  4. ha Chris, u just hit the nail on the head… come to think of it, I have never seen any university student in Ghana working at a retail store… when I was in college, I did everything, from babysitting, to working at different stores… I definitely wasn’t ashamed of it because I knew I needed the money and all.. Thats why you find that Gh university girls end up having sugar daddies to cater for their needs and the guys end up getting involved in sakawa and other stuff…

    Reply
  5. ha Chris, u just hit the nail on the head… come to think of it, I have never seen any university student in Ghana working at a retail store… when I was in college, I did everything, from babysitting, to working at different stores… I definitely wasn’t ashamed of it because I knew I needed the money and all.. Thats why you find that Gh university girls end up having sugar daddies to cater for their needs and the guys end up getting involved in sakawa and other stuff…

    Reply
  6. ha Chris, u just hit the nail on the head… come to think of it, I have never seen any university student in Ghana working at a retail store… when I was in college, I did everything, from babysitting, to working at different stores… I definitely wasn’t ashamed of it because I knew I needed the money and all.. Thats why you find that Gh university girls end up having sugar daddies to cater for their needs and the guys end up getting involved in sakawa and other stuff…

    Reply
  7. I like how u ended u ended the article without drawing any “biased” conclusions. Indeed, what is going on? Let me tell u what I think is going on — as I am currently going through the system. Granted, there is no denying most(or some, depending on your perceptual biases) of my colleagues are egotistic or regard taking up parttime jobs at say Melcolm or a fuel station like Shell, well beneath their status. Different people have different reasons why they may take up parttime jobs as students. Uve stated one or two in your article which may include but not limited to developing a “work culture or ethic”, for money, to keep themselves busy, to develop RELEVANT work experience to their career choice, to experience/experiment new ideas/environment/skills etc. Now why are those of us who may want to take up parttime jobs for some of the above reasons not able to? Some may cite our time-tables & associated academic stress, the mentality of some of our lecturers/system – some lecturers will tell u to come to lectures at their convenience-without regards to the approved time-table or time of the day because you are a “Full-Time” student, therefore you shd be available for lectures at his/her convenience so long as the time does not conflict with another lecture. Again, scholarships are awarded to only “Full-Time” students so brilliant but needy students who may want to take up part-time jobs for money are disadvantaged. I admit it’s not all faculties that admit both part-time & full-time students but i think its unfair that these scholarship schemes discriminate against the part-time stream.
    But since I do not fall under these two major barriers I’ve stated above – my lectures are mostly fixed eventhough im a full-time student, hence I’m usually done for the day at 2pm &

    Reply
    • Interesting comment but I am lost a bit and I would love you to clarify things for me. How is a full time student defined in relation to Ghana’s educational system? Per my understanding or the UK’s requirement, a full time student is a student that has a certain number of hours dedicated to educational study or learning per week or credits to be completed per semester. I think the current hours needed to be classified as a full time student is 26 hours and over per week or 60 credits per semester…

      So taking up a job on weekends or at night should not be able to taint your status as a full time student

      Reply
      • I agree with you on this one Chris. I am a full time student and the number of hours i spend in class for a whole week is about 22 hours. I work on saturdays and sometimes even on the weekdays if i’m free. So you can be a full time student and still work. All my class mates are full time students and majority of them work. But i can also understand that for students in Ghana there might not be enough jobs around for them.

        Reply
      • LOL WTH? Why was my comment cut short??. Does this new comment system have a word limit? Anyways my comment was a tad lengthy cos im very passionate abt this topic. I believe u would have been less confused if the full complement was posted.

        Now to answer your question, no, Your understanding of Ghana’s educational system is rather spot on. A full time student per the University’s regulations is one who completes a number of credit hours per semester– Ive forgotten the exact number so pardon me. Notwithstanding this regulation, some lecturers & scholarship awarding boards remain adamant as to the definition of a full-time. For instance, im a BSc. Business Admin student at one of our public universities & had to do 7 compulsory courses last semester, a total of 19 credit hours per week. Since my Faculty offered two streams for undergrad (Full-time, Parttime & i believe Distance Learning on weekends), my lectures usually ended at 2pm daily. However some lecturers may decide to move his class to say 6am or 4pm cos he has prior engagements & this renders students parttime job efforts a bit problematic as u have to make excuses to your employer or forgo your lectures which will go against u as per the university’s regulations, a student who misses 3 lectures isnt allowed to write the end of sem exams. So this in addition to other factors I mentioned in my earlier submission places gh students at a disadvantage when it comes to part-time work. I can cige 3 personal encounters ive had with employers & they all sing the same song- “Parttime work isnt for Ghanaian students”. Pardon any errors since I just got home from my internship work (i know u will say it doesnt count but yes, i do have a “work culture” 🙂

        btw, your new system doesnt alert me of follow-up comments?

        Reply
  8. Interesting read here Chris. However, growing up, I had wanted to work part time in some of these food joints you mentioned because I am passionate about customer service. In as much as you have raised solid points I beg to differ.

    1. There are barely any jobs here so the few available ones like the On-The-Run, Melcom, Shop rite and others you mentioned will not be willing to take on part time people when people need jobs full time.

    2. Even in places where they run shifts, the times may not be conducive for students and that’s where a manager will tell you, you cannot work with them.

    3. There are majority of students who take on internships in other organisations such it is very unfair to label them lazy (Akosua Ghana). Some people are lazy..Yes!…but you have to look at both sides of the coin.

    Reply
    • @Naa Afi, I agree 100% with you. Our academic timetable in Ghana does not permit students to school full time and work at the same time. Also, most conventional working environments( 8am- 5pm) would also not tolerate part time working periods.

      This problem is very huge, and not just about laziness or Egoism…. Until the work culture can embrace payment by the hour as you guys( Akosua and Chris) have it in Europe and America, it would be very difficult to work and school at the same time.

      It’s only the Masters students that can actually do this combination since most classes are after work hours or on weekends.

      Everything in Gh must change…or everything remains same

      Reply
      • Maybe your other points hold but not the time table bit because no time table abroad also permits full students to have a job…you know! This is a clear misconception as students abroad have un-relaxed time tables and long hours too.

        Reply
  9. I understand your frustration but I don’t think you considered all the factors. There’re no jobs. All the students i know in Ghana are willing to work. There’s just no work to be found. Also businesses in Ghana simply do not hire part-time workers. Your article came out sounding more like a self-righteous tirade to be honest.

    Reply
    • i agree with you, the writers views are shallow and biased. i know several so called dada b’s who accompany parents to work and assist them during vacation. furthermore the peanuts paid to work with retailers in ghana is so not worth your time and effort after deducting transport costs and the likes. even campus pFacilitiea dont hve the habit of hiring students… the lazy attitude of students is the least of ourroblems when

      Reply
  10. Chris, this is a very biased article and i am disappointed that you didn’t do your research. You don’t seem to know why Ghanaian students do not work yet you have come to the conclusion that they are merely lazy.
    1. Most students abroad work because they need extra money to augment whatever little money being given to them by their parents. They work because it is a necessity not because they enjoy they work. If they had enough money they will relax and concentrate on getting better jobs. I know this because i schooled abroad.
    2. The Ghanaian university curriculum does not allow for having part time jobs. Students mostly have up to nine different courses spread across the working week. Time tables are prepared for the students who have no say as to which times the lectures should be held at. Typically theses classes are held at the different times of the day which does not allow for having part time jobs.
    3. On the other hand, students abroad esp in the US even have the liberty to decide which courses to take and the times at which they do. They have the liberty to spread courses across the year and even take summer school if need be. They do not have as much as 9 course per semester. Even some courses taken will not require a written exam. Whereas in Ghana there is no such as summer school.
    4. Employers overseas provide part time opportunities for which students are able to take advantage of. Here in Ghana, in the first place jobs are scarce! These positions that are considered part time in the US are made full time and employers do not create part time positions.
    5. During the vavcations it is becoming the norm for students to gain some work experience through industrial internships called attachment. And if you care to know most organisations who allow students to do these attachments do not pay.
    So who is to blame? The student who cannot get part time positions because his time table wouldn’t allow him? The University for jamming up so many courses the student cannot go out to look for work? The employer for not creating part time positions? The government for not providing enough jobs so that part time positions can be created?
    It is people like you @Chris_Vincent:disqus and @akosuaghana:disqus who go abroad and then start bad mouthing all Ghanaians as though they do not think or simply do not want life to be comfortable too. You make poor comparisons and are so quick to judge and fail to see the roots of the matter. It’s a shame you have access to this blog and internet and post negatively about Ghanaians and more so Ghanaian students. You need to take off this article and render an apology.

    Reply
    • Developing a work culture does not fit within any of the arguments you seem to have made…

      1. First of all, where did you get it from that ALL students abroad are able to choose their classes and all that? No college student I know and when I was at college, I did not choose any subjects, they were compulsory classes and I did not have a say in the time table—yet I managed to have a part time on weekends and at nights. At University, I was only allowed to choose modules at the third year and the first two years were all compulsory modules, I did not have a say in the time table either—yet I had a part time job.

      2. No university curriculum anywhere in the world allows part time jobs when you are a full time student. That is what FULL TIME student means, yet students in the West inconvenience themselves by working at nights and weekends, all because of the work culture.

      This is another typical Ghanaian approach you brought,blame the university and not the student. Which university in the world will say, let me make provisions for the work schedules of FULL STUDENTS? My girlfriend is a full time student and she goes to classes from monday-friday (almost 8am to 6pm—including her clinic hours in London) and she works at nights. So once again you got it wrong, no university makes provisions for work, for full time students. The students squeeze in work into their sleep times and other times. Are Ghanaian university doing this? Or they have classes at night too—on regular? And don’t say there are no night jobs in Ghana today especially Kumasi and Accra, because there are PLENTY.

      3. You also talked about part time job opportunities and availability of jobs. Do you think there are any jobs in America and UK or anywhere in Europe? Do you know the unemployment rate in these countries? Yet students are able to find part time jobs, and sometimes even full time jobs. And the reasons are; 1. because of the sort of jobs they go for 2. because, the working culture has given them some good experience that employers cannot over look 3. and because they are in jobs that pay peanuts with bad working conditions.

      There are jobs that students can do in Ghana and I am sure employers will gladly give them out, but students will not go in for them because the pay is far below what they expect as someone said in one of the comments. But in the UK and other places, students will go in for those jobs that the pay is low—after all, that is what students do and that is why they get those jobs. When it comes to working culture, pay is a little or no factor…

      I cited a research of rich American students working for peanuts, when they do not actually need that money (they are from rich homes). So it is not amount money all the time, but a culture or habit…

      4. About attachments, work experience and placements. All around the world, students do this not simply because of a working culture but because it has somewhat become necessary and compulsory… Personally, I term those ventures as part of studies—to me, this should not score any good point on the working culture scale. If you want to score a point, then talk about voluntary work during term time, that is where work culture can be found. How many Ghanaian students do voluntary work during term time? Or these jobs are not also available?

      5. And no one is saying anything bad about Ghana—pretty a weak and absurd way to conclude your argument. On facebook, I had a comment from a Ghanaian graduate saying, students who work in Ghana are considered as less privilege—that should definitely tell you something.

      Reply
    • I agree wiv u @Annette Akye. In fact u ve sed all I wntd to say. Thru out my time in uni I neva had da chance to work cos der was none n even wen u get ur place 4 internship dey aint rwdi to pay u.luckily 4 me my mum runs a nursery skuul n helpd her anytime I vacated.
      I dnt noe y dese gals ll jux get up n sayn anifn wivout doing proper research. U ve no rite to tlk abt us like dat n seriously I wish both of u ll jux be in gh 4 some reason n experience fins like dis 4 urselves. Read wide ladies n do proper research or beta still u can come open up companies in gh n offer part time jobs n see how students ll come running to ur company

      Reply
      • On point Chris. .very intelligent analysis. My uncle opened his company n offered some students part time jobs, they stopped after some time( most of e ladies cos they complained e salaries were not good enough but most of them were sleeping with sugar daddies to keep going. Their dignity means nothing to them

        Reply
  11. I think this article is utter rubbish!!! How much do you make when you work as a student abroad? Do you know the salary levels here? It would cost a student more to travel to work than what he/she is paid at the end of the month. whats wrong with giving? “calling others lazy” is selfish peoples excuse to keep all the money they have to satisfy. You are a law student? Too sad? Did you consider other factors like time spent to get to and from work, job availability? merit based recruitment? I am not encouraging students not to work but pleeeaaase, give give them a break!! Besides, do you know how many students are already working? get your facts right big shot lawyer!!

    Reply
    • Surely, your comment says much about your understanding of the article and your approach to discussions. So I will leave you to go on with it, others will read and they will form their own opinions about you. Better still, read the contributions of the others and determine if you feel PROUD about yours.

      No, I am not a law student—how can I?. In fact, I am not even ever been to school before! 🙂

      Reply
      • @Chris-Vincent Agyapong Febiri
        1. One major factor you failed to include in the article was unemployment rate in Ghana compared to unemployment rate in western countries. I know graduate students in Ghana who waited YEARS after national service to get a job. If even graduates struggle to find a job in Ghana, how much more students who can’t boast of a degree? I attend university in the USA, and YES I have a part-time job, but that’s only because of a FEDERAL PROGRAM we have here called WORK-STUDY – where the federal gov’t PROVIDES you with money to help pay your tuition and the student in turn works for the university doing jobs like student assistant at a front-desk, working in library, dining hall, etc. Now tell me, do we have such programs in Ghana? NO!
        2. You mentioned that not all students in western countries can choose their schedule, but THAT’S NOT TRUE! Unlike Ghanaian students in Ghana, I have the liberty of CREATING MY OWN SCHEDULE! My counterparts in Legon have their schedule made for them by the administration. During registration here I can go through the course schedule and there will be SEVERAL available times for a course, and I CHOOSE what time I think will best fit me. As a result many students here arrange their schedule in a way that they get out of school early on Fridays or have no classes at all on Fridays so that they can work. Can the same thing be said about curriculum in Ghana? NO!

        Please, get your facts straight. I’m also a student living abroad, but try and consider all the factors at play here and don’t just jump to biased conclusions based on your emotions.

        Reply
        • I said NOT ALL student, I didn’t say every student (meaning some students are allowed to and others are not)…Actually, I mentioned that at third year of my undergraduate studies, I was allowed to pick modules so I am sure you lost track of that sentence—probably…

          To me, the fact is; no matter the other factors (which everywhere in the world you can find contributing factors to any situation), Ghanaian students do not have a working culture…

          How many Ghanaian university students or even graduates are ready to work on part time basis as cleaners, security guards , car washers, waiters, shop floor workers, sales assistants, warehouse operatives and others? If you live abroad, you will know that these jobs are filled by students on part time basis…

          What about voluntary work during TERM TIME?

          We are discussion working culture so please have that in mind…

          Reply
          • CHRIS, I doubt you have more of a working culture or ethic that you keep blabbing about than some Ghanaian students here. Next time if you have at least made the effort to research a little into the topic on discussion you would have realized there are a lot of Ghanaian university students who are already involved in part-time jobs….I know students who work part-time in hospital records department, and other retail shops. Better still as a student myself I took on several part-time jobs, I remember once working at the DVLA sorting out winners of lotteries at night. As I kept reading i decided not to comment but I feel obliged to because there a lot of students out there who are more than willing to take up such jobs when available not only to develop a working culture but more importantly to make good money as I believe you so-called ‘hardworking students’ abroad are doing.
            You seem very opinionated in the way you generalize your assertions and that is not good because I know we can find a lot of Ghanaian students abroad as well who don’t work.

          • REALLY? I don’t think there is any argument here and I don’t actually see where you are driving to, but let me make this clear to you if you missed it. Probably, you will reconsider your take!

            I said MOST Ghanaian students…not all and not minority.

            In the West, not all students work, but MOST do work. So I am not sure what you are talking about here…In fact, you are just re-stating what I said!

            It is the attitude of the MOST that generates the issue of working culture, take note of the word CULTURE!

          • What about the MANY entrepreneurial businesses springing up in KNUST and Legon? From the photography business to the clothing to the accessories to the web-design businesses? Ghanaian students know about the lack of part-time jobs, so many have created their own these days. Consider that too, Chris. You will probably reply and say but that’s a small minority of students doing this- but if we all turn into entrepreneurs who will be the buyers? Plus, not all students have such creative skills- hence the reason for being in university to gain technical skills for jobs better fitted for them in the future.
            The assumption that Ghanaian students are lazy just does not sit well with me, and it’s a false assumption.

          • And who made that assumption on here? My article did not make that assumption—unless you want to point me to where in the article I stated so!

            I don’t disregard entrepreneurship…However, like the title and theme of my article, I maintain that the argument rest on the phrase ‘MOST Ghanaian students’…I want to hear what you have to say about the MOST, I surely recognize and know the not the MOST (minority) have other things going…

            A ‘culture’ is only of significant importance and benefit if you have the MOST living by it!

          • I understand the culture is only of significant importance based on the majority and all that. I get it.
            Here is a response to your article; it articulates my point a little better.
            ghanapresidentforaday (dot)blogspot (dot) com

          • Abena, I think you assumed he was talking about everyone. you don’t see these entrepreneurs you mentioned on here arguing and feeling attacked because they know this article is not coming at them and they probably share the same opinion about their fellow students in the university. If you feel offended, check your situation, and do something about it.

          • If you have been working, then i don’t think this article was directed to you. Don’t take issues that do not apply to your situation so personal. This is for those who aren’t working but can hop on facebook and tell someone abroad, to send them 200 pounds like its easy

          • My friend come home and experience the situation yourself. As a postgraduate assistant here in at the University of Ghana, I have many of my undergraduate students trooping to my office to inquire of temporary job opportunities to help them make some money during vacations. These jobs do not exist. And employers are not interested in short – term employees. Even a start-up company wants a low paid employee for a full year.
            I sit in interviews to recruit people for new companies and the story is the same.
            There is no way Ghana can give part-time Jobs to its students when it has high unemployment rate, low GDP, export dependent economy, few and weak private companies.

            Man, thank God you have such opportunity. Only help those you feel capable of and leave the rest to their fate. You owe no one in Ghana. It is your life. Live it to the fullest and spare our mother land. May be you will think of setting up a company here upon your return…Good day.

        • Where do you live abroad that you are allowed to choose your own time for classes? That is a lie.

          The best you are allowed to do is choose the subjects but the times are FIXED. So you do not actually have control over the TIMEtable, rather the subject.

          I had my education in both Europe and America and that is it. Students don’t decide which time a class should be held. At most, they decide which classes they want to take but the time the class will be held is FIXED by the institution. You can go and say you don’t want this class to start at 9am , you want it to start at 11am. HELL NO

          Reply
          • @tiffanybabe:disqus
            Please understand what I wrote and don’t give my words a different interpretation. I clearly stated the phrase “AVAILABLE CLASS TIMES”. A course schedule in the USA has SEVERAL available class times provided by the professor and the students CHOOSE out of the SEVERAL class times GIVEN on the course schedule. Ex: psychology class can start MWF at 8am, 10am, 11am, 3pm, 4pm.. list goes on, and the student CHOOSES the time they want. That’s what I;m saying.

            IN Ghana, there is usually just one or VERY FEW different meeting times for a class. Comprehend before you reply please. I never mentioned students somehow create their own class times. I study in the USA, of course I know that’s not the case.

    • students abroad also make chump change compared to their living situations. If one job working 20 hours a week gives you 200 every two weeks and your rent is 500 a month. electric and gas is 100+ a month, groceries $40 a month, internet and cable 90 a month, transportation for the month(4 weekly passes)= $96. monthly payments for school loans(lets not even go there), chilling( at least $150 a month if you are humble), shopping= maybe 50-100 a month depending on the kind of shops you go to. then there are a lot of random things that pop up all the time…oh did i forget books and stationary for the school year is at least $1500, some people, $4000.
      So now you see how one job is not enough to sustain one person so he has to work at least 2 jobs and go to school. while you live at home or in a hostel that costs less that his rent for even 6 months and go to school, yo can go home to your parents and eat free. You sit there an call someone selfish. who is selfish? the person having all theses expenses and finding $100 bucks for you? or you knowing his hustle and still asking?

      Reply
  12. Funny how shallow minded some can be….I believe there wont be any explanation required as some pple ar trying do here, if the writer had done her survey well of the different systems of the countries shes comparing, perhaps the question would have been different…..
    for christ sake, who runs a part time job in ghana?????…..where are the jobs, mpo

    Reply
    • No one runs a part time job anywhere in the world. They are just open to accepting two people or 3 people who’s shifts can add up to full time rather than no full time person at all. maybe you need to research that. The author wrote his opinion based on his personal experiences. This is not a news board. It is a blog and he is entitled to do that. just as you are entitled to write anything in his comments.

      Reply
  13. This article is garbage. Anyone who makes such lame ass comparisons obviously doesn’t know what he is talking about!!

    Reply
    • He is not comparing economies, or 2 countries. he is comparing the fact that students have the same struggle but students abroad will even do security to get money to buy books or groceries while the other student does nothing but attend school and ask the security guard student for some of his money. so is the student abroad you mum or your friend. are they taking care of themselves with or feeding two mouths?

      Reply
  14. there is no bus pass or travel card in GH.furthermore the cost of transportation is very high. i believe if there were care homes and nursing homes in GH most Uni students wouldn’t mind working in care

    Reply
  15. Ghana has no forms of jobs for teenagers.. Someone i know were asked to work full time each day so lets assume the work for students is minimal. This side of world has lots of opportunities, part time positions in the retail stores, fast food, or even self employed braider’s. I braid hair and that was my main job while in school. I was earning a lot of money from it even more than an ordinary cna. Maybe some of them can learn a handy job after high school while waiting to enter the University. Now sewing of the African attire has become a popular trend in Ghana. Most girls can look into braiding and sewing so they can do that as a part time job on campus. I know the girls we have in Ghana wouldn’t even look into such handy works because they feel too classy. A cousin of mine has been braiding since she was a kid and that was her main Job on campus at KNUST. She didn’t had anyone to sponsor her education but those little earns made her survived with her hostel, meals and other domestic needs. Am sure some students will read this and do something beneficial to their lives.

    Reply
  16. As interesting as this article is, i realized you didnt mention the other side. Are the work places you suggested ready to take on students who would have to work part time? Since you the author seem to be a Ghanaian you should know that the working world of Ghana is not exactly flexible for students, nor are the student schedules flexible enough to allow them to even work part time. I know this because i have been a student and a worker at the same time.

    Reply
  17. young man dont be so ignorant here. Who in Ghana is going to give you that part time job? where are the jobs? even people who are willing to work full time are not finding them. And let me tell you even the full time non degree holding workers are not earning near the $6-$10 an hour earned in the endowed countries doing part time. SO my dear if you are fortunate enough to be in America or Europe, thank GOD and work hard and dont be hasty to criticize. And if you soo foolishly think Ghana can be compared with those higher countries, why then didnt you stay here for your studies? Do you even read about how things are going in Ghana?

    I’m afraid this article of yours is utterly preposterous!

    Reply
  18. I am a full time computer science student AND a full time employee. I am not saying everyone should work full time while in school but it is definitely possible for someone to be a full time student and work at the same time. One must be able to balance their time out well. There truly is a time for everything.
    I started working at the age of 16 working a few hours here and there. It helps to be able to appreciate the fruit of your labor and build the work ethics that is needed in the work field.
    Parents in Ghana do well with paying the school fees for the students. The students can help to relieve them small by working a few hours to be able to support their daily expenses.

    Reply
  19. Very lazy article. No research whatsoever. The writer can keep his money which sharing with his Ghanaian friends has embittered him to the point of this widely biased and shockingly preposterous article full of truthless assumptions. Next (and) better article please?

    Reply
    • If you read the article well and read some comments, you will notice, it is not about the money. It is the fact that you keep giving money that you don’t have to someone who is sitting at home doing nothing. As much as you dont mind sparing 50pounds. how do you feel helping someone who is making no effort, but on friday night they are at Firefly/ Tantra , saturday Twist and you worked so hard. People need to stop feeling entitled and start showing that they are making an effort. Your friends are your friends, not your parents or paycheck

      Reply
  20. Its so easy to feel offended and try to justify the situation because you are in it. I just want to know how many GH students can honestly say I went to max mart, Shoprite,the movie theatre in the mall, game or papaye to apply for a job as a cashier part time ( maybe 6- 11pm) and they said no. Feel free to reply and say you have. Just don’t lie because I may own one of these places. I know some students have side hustles, you have those selling phones, sneakers, tablets( i don’t know if its real or fake or if its clean or sakawa but it gets them paid) you also have those doing commercials, billboards and becoming video “vixens” but you all can’t do those jobs. You have to spread out into other fields. Everyone cant be in a commercial. Better yet, If they thought you were a good fit, you will be in one by now so move on.maybe lower your standards.

    Most university students have internships in the summer. OK. If you like the internship and you are making enough to sustain your extra curricular activities, then this article was not talking about you. If this internship is not enough to sustain your shopping, or chilling then obviously you need an additional job. Yes you can have more than one job.Some students abroad work 2 or more jobs especially if they have to pay for school or have a family to support(teen moms etc).

    I just want to applaud students who didn’t allow these “i cant find a job” factors to hold them back. If you cant find a job and you need money so bad, create something. Make something out of yourself. For example some university students in GH do make up on the side(loox by Ashiakie, makeup by Akai etc), shoes(htw, sparky soles etc), clothes(april rust, akatasia,etc) there is denkyi for bags. A lot of students are branching off into becoming entrepreneurs. Good. Obviously, this article and comment is not talking about them either but they are examples of what you can do for yourself if you think you are struggling. Once again, this is not for everyone. Don’t go copying them.
    Be your own person. Find what you can do easily as a student. If you think you are good at cleaning but you don’t want your friends to see you do that, go to the banks, the malls etc and ask if their cleaners work after working hours. If they do, Bingo. If you are good at cooking but are too cool to ask asanka local to hire you, Walk into Holiday in see if they need a sous chef( you would be in the back no one will see you. except other chefs)

    Overall, If you are a university student in GH, and you don’t work, and are comfortable in your situation. You don’t care to cultivate work ethic, you have enough money from parents, sugar daddies(the world knows some of you depend on that)or family to take care of yourself and activities, then this ARTICLE, and COMMENT was not directed to you.
    This ARTICLE and COMMENT is for YOU if you are over there sulking over being broke, it’s for YOU if you have ever hit up and friend or family abroad to ask for money, clothes, a phone etc. People abroad always want to help but when it’s becomes too much, they too get frustrated especially when they went to primary or high school with you and are also students. #”oh chale, sendi me dollars/ pounds” needs to stop!!!!

    Reply
  21. Are you a young man or women
    seeking or interested in porn movie or sugar
    mummy,daddy,gay and lesbian.Are you
    good in bed ?Do you really need a
    rich sexy sugar mummy or sugar daddy
    that can change your life
    completely with money and influence,
    so get the
    opportunity
    to meet
    sugar mummies from all works of
    life,politician,bankers,oil
    ladies,executives,directors,go ld
    ladies,cash money ladies,Global
    Network group friends,doctors,dubai
    ladies,london
    based ladies,ladies
    willing to pay as much as 100-350k
    per night,and get the best
    exclusive VIP arrangement anywhere
    ,we have some
    rich sugar mummies who are urgently
    in
    need of sugar boys and some rich
    daddies who are looking for young
    girls to spend their money on,
    all you have to do is Get
    back to us through our
    emaill address :[email protected]. or
    reach us via our mobile +233554504475.

    Reply
  22. the issue is not about we being lazy. but the fact is that most of these shops or places u mentioned have people they’ve employed which they can exploit by giving them meager wages..
    the companies mostly want workers who can work for them for a minimum of 3 months and our long vacations extends to a maximum of 2 months. it is but only a few privileged people who know certain people at certain places that get the chance to work at some of the places u have mentioned…… i am a student at the university of Cape Coast Ghana and i ve tried getting one myself but my efforts have been fruitless… so i ve decided to start something small myself. so if anybody here can give me a very profitable business idea i can invest my few cedis i ve saved in, i would be glad

    Reply

Leave a Reply