Payson has begun traveling to schools in Ghana and talking with students, teachers, and parents about their culture, language, agricultural practices, and gardening traditions. The government of Ghana pays the teachers' salaries and supplies the building, but students must buy their own books, and uniforms, and pay for any extracurricular activities. Some students can't afford to buy these things so they do not go to school until the family has money for supplies. Students may start attending school at the age of four. If they pass the exam, they may choose a high school anywhere in Ghana.
Some students decide to go to high school far away from their home town.
Students living in Accra may speak a different language than students living in Ashanti. English is the official language of Ghana, but most Ghanaians speak several languages. To learn more about the different languages in Africa, visit this Web site . Ghanaian students spend the first few days of school cleaning the school's classrooms and grounds. There are no janitors or maintenance people, so the students and teachers work to spruce up the entire school.