Women in Academia
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Fatima Dauda

Fatima Dauda is a 32year old single Muslim woman. She is an Akan who teaches Economics at O’reilly Sec. School (Adabraka) and has been teaching for the past seven years.

She shared that she lost her father early in life and so had to work to cater for herself . She sold iced water and engaged herself in any income generating activity to get money to support her schooling.

She has a Bachelor of Education (Foundation) from ---------------------------------------- and also took Stock Exchange courses and a post graduate programme (Business Administration) from GIMPA. She is currently studying French at Alliance Francaise to make her marketable to international bodies. She has served as president of Obuasi Muslim Ladies Association and a treasurer.

She mentioned a major challenge in her work to be the perception students hold of subjects such as economic being solely the reserve for male teachers to teach. Thus right from the onset the students did not approve of her but they have seen her ability and are now even asking for extra classes from her.

In line with the above, she suggested students should be briefed or oriented to know that when it comes to ability and capability in teaching subjects like mathematics, economics, accounting and more there is no difference between male and female teachers. Also students should not use teachers’ physical structure to grade level of delivery.

She draws inspirations from Allah who has seen her through her experiences in life and brought her this far by always bringing opportunities her way which has really benefited her.

Fatima looks forward to having a brighter future of which she will be at a level where women are not seen. In order to attain this she hopes to take a master’s in Development Management and continue with her doctorate degree with the French she is studying making her disposed to international organisations as stated earlier. The Ghanaian women should be studious even after marriage. They should be independent by getting a trade of their own in order not to cast their hopes on men at the expense of the own personal development.