Ghana has been a leader in African education, but economic problems in the 1970s and 1980s led to declining attendance and low teacher morale. In response to a Structural Adjustment Program, in 1986 junior secondary (JSS) was substituted for middle schooling and more emphasis was put on vocationalism in these schools. This paper examines the perception of these changes by adults in a rapidly growing suburb of the capital. What do they expect and what are they getting from academic and vocational education? What have they achieved through the education they received, and to what extent is educational advantage passed on to one's children? Disillusionment is still widespread, but expectations and/or lack of alternatives mean that considerable resources are still invested in educating their children.