Schools In Ghana Research Articles

COVID-19 Pandemic and Teachers' Classroom Safety Perception, Anxiety and Coping Strategies during Instructional Delivery.

Several professionals, including teachers, have been engrossed in fear of the worst happening due to COVID-19 and the rapidly evolving nature of the virus affecting the perception of safety in any working environment. This study examined teachers’ perception of classroom safety, anxiety, and coping strategies during instructional delivery in senior high schools in Ghana. Adopting the cross-sectional survey design with a quantitative approach, a convenient sample of 174 senior high school teachers in the Cape Coast Metropolis completed a questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive analysis, analysis of variance, and multiple linear regression. The findings showed that teachers perceived their classroom environment as unsafe during instructional delivery amidst COVID-19 and reported modest to extreme levels of anxiety. Further, teachers with a high level of COVID-19 anxiety were found to utilize active coping strategies to manage stressful situations. The reported unsafe working environment in schools during pandemic times highlights the critical role of supportive working environments for teachers’ mental and psychological wellness. School counseling psychologists, school welfare officers, and school health coordinators should collaborate to implement interventions (e.g., social emotional learning; resilience strategies) that promote the wellbeing of teachers and a safe working environment.

Perceptions and Effective Implementation of Peace Education in Senior High Schools in the Central Region of Ghana

The purpose of the study was to examine the perceptions and effective implementation of peace education in Senior High Schools in Ekumfi District in the Central Region of Ghana. The study was underpinned by the Integrative Theory of Peace Education (ITPE) [1]. The study adopted the mixed methods approach where the exploratory sequential mixed method design was employed. The convenience and stratified random sampling techniques were used to select 20 and 350 participants for the qualitative and quantitative stages of the study respectively. Semi-structured interview guide and questionnaire were the main tools used to collect data for the study. The qualitative data were analyzed through the thematic approach with the help of NVivo 12 Plus while the quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics like mean, frequency, and standard deviation with the aid of SPSS version 20. The study indicated that peace education in the schools is relevant in mentoring students who would be advocates of peace in their respective communities, preparing future leaders who are required to uphold peace and espouse peaceful attributes in their dealings with the publics as well as championing the path of national development. The study also revealed that teachers needed to be trained on the principles, knowledge, and skills required to effectively deliver peace education in the schools. The point is made that when these challenges are tackled, it will pave the way for the smooth implementation of peace education in the schools. It is recommended that peace education should be accorded the needed importance in the school curriculum. It is also recommended that the management of the schools should design and implement co-curricular programmes that are tailored towards the delivery of peace education to the students. It is further recommended that the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) of the Ghana Education Service should incorporate peace education as a topic in the Social Studies curriculum as part of the curriculum reforms for the Senior High Schools in Ghana.

Investigation into the Significant Values of the Visual Arts in the Senior High Schools in the Ghanaian Educational System

This study investigates the looming danger facing the Visual Arts subjects in Ghana’s education as it is underrated as compared to other subjects offered in the Senior High Schools. It examines evidence of the capabilities that art education develops in students and what it prepares them for. The study was purely descriptive and observation, as well as unstructured interviews, were the main instruments adopted to gather information from headmasters of selected Senior High Schools, parents, teachers, and students offering Visual arts as a course. The study revealed that the Visual Arts are not given the needed recognition and attention as is given to other subjects such as Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM), etc. by the stakeholders of education in Ghana. The study emphasized the importance of the arts and makes it clear that the visual arts increase the students’ thinking capacity to the extent that it makes them able to apply their thinking power in solving problems even in other academic areas as well as in life outside the school. The outcome of the study will diffuse the negative perceptions people have of visual arts and outlines compelling reasons to champion its development in the Senior High Schools in Ghana. Keywords: Visual arts, art education, Senior High School, creativity, programme. DOI: 10.7176/JEP/13-15-14 Publication date: May 31 st 2022

IMPACT OF EXTENSIVE READING ON ENGLISH LANGUAGE COMPETENCE: A CASE STUDY OF JUKWAA SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

The study sought to assess the impact of extensive reading on English language competence. The study focused on Jukwaa Senior High School. The primary objective of this study is to assess the impact of extensive reading on English language competence in Jukwaa Senior High. A descriptive design was employed for this study and a quantitative methodology was used. Data collection tools employed in this study was questionnaire. Data was sorted and analyzed using IBM SPSS version 23.0. Descriptive statistics like percentages and frequency were used to develop tables and graphs to explain the findings. Correlation and Regression Analysis were used to study the strength of a relationship between the extensive reading and then the English language competence. The study revealed a strong significant and positive relationship between extensive reading and English language competence. The study also shows that extensive reading predicts 79.3% variance in explaining English language competence. Finally, the study also revealed a linear relationship between age, extensive reading and English language competence. The study recommends that extensive reading should be a compulsory reading activity at all levels of Senior High schools in Ghana in order to improve their vocabulary knowledge. This should be done by providing students with texts on African and non-African fictions and making it compulsory for student to read at least one text in a week. Secondly, Students’ reading progress should be monitored by keeping reading diaries indicating varieties of registers or vocabularies encountered and summaries of books read. They should also be reinforced by awarding them stars for books read.

Understanding the learning gaps between private schools and public schools in Ghana

PurposeThe objective of this paper is to evaluate the learning gap between private and public school children in primary school, and ascertain the part of the private–public school learning gap that is due to differences in observables and the part that can be attributed to private school effect.Design/methodology/approachThe paper utilized a household survey data from Ghana that assessed children on numeracy and literacy in both English and local languages. The primary methodology for this study is non-linear Oaxaca decomposition. The study also utilized Welch's t-statistics to test if there are any differences in the private–public school learning gaps across several sub-groups.FindingsFindings from this study show a substantial gain for private school attendance on both numeracy and literacy. The results show that a little over 60% of the total learning gap in numeracy and literacy in English is explained by observable characteristics. However, observable characteristics almost explain all the learning gaps in the reading and writing of local languages. Evidence from the study suggests that the private school effect is homogeneous across several sub-groups. The results reveal years of education, expenditure on extra classes, religion and urbanicity as the most important variables explaining the gap that is caused by differences in observables.Originality/valueDespite the belief that private school children in Ghana have better learning outcomes, there has not been any study to quantify this learning gap in the country and this study fills this gap. While there is literature on the differences in the learning outcomes between public and private schools, those studies have focused on the differences that are attributable to the private school effect. This article does not only present the differences in the learning outcomes but also shows the proportion that is due to observable characteristics and the part that can be attributed to the private school effect.

A Comparative Analysis of Final-Nasal and Associative Construction in the Akuapem Twi in Ghana

Akuapem has received a great deal of discussion in Akan phonology. This paper examines a comparative analysis of final-nasal and associative construction in the Akuapem Twi in Ghana. This study adopted a qualitative approach. The study was carried out in the two main districts namely Akuapem North (Okuapeman) and Asuogyaman in the Eastern Region of Ghana. This study focused on the views of the respondents on morpheme-final nasals in Akan and associative construction in Akuapem Twi dialect. The population of the study consisted of speakers of Akuapem Twi in the Eastern Region. The target population therefore was the thirty (30) Akuapem Twi speakers in Akuapem North (Okuapeman) and Asuogyaman. The two districts and the respondents were purposively and conveniently used for the study. The study concluded that, the alveolar nasal consonant /n/ can occur as a final nasal consonant in Akuapem. The study also concluded that, in possessive construction, the associative floating H which floats between the possessor pronoun and the possessed noun (NP2) is realized differently in all the three sub-dialect of Akuapem with the H docking to the toneless nominal prefix in Ofie and Akwamu and to the initial TBU in Kamena while the default assignment assign L to the possessor pronoun in Ofie and Kamena with nouns that has a [+Low] toneless vocalic nominal as it’s prefix. The study recommended that, final-nasal and associative construction in the Akuapem Twi should be emphasized in Ghanaian language curriculum in basic schools in Ghana.

Challenges of Instructional Supervision of Social Studies Lessons in the Public Basic Junior High Schools in Ghana

The purpose of this study was to examine the challenges faced by School Improvement Support Officers, Headmasters and teachers during the instructional supervision of Social Studies lessons in the public basic junior high schools in the Aowin Municipality of the Western North Region of Ghana. The study adopted sequential explanatory research design. The population of the study included School Improvement Support Officers (SISOs), Headteachers and teachers of selected from Junior High Schools in Aowin Municipality of the Western North Region of Ghana. Purposive sampling technique was used to select ten (10) SISOs and sixty (60) Headteachers in the Aowin Municipality. Stratified, simple random and quota sampling technique was used to select one hundred and twenty (120) teachers for the study. The two main instruments used for data collection were questionnaire and interview guide. The quantitative data entry and analysis was done by using the SPSS version 22 software package. The data was edited, coded and analysed into frequencies, percentages with interpretations. The qualitative data was analysed by the use of the interpretative method. The study revealed that headteachers and School Improvement Support Officers (SISOs) faced challenges such as ; Poor road networks which affected planned supervision; Inability of district directorate to promptly, firmly and fairly acts upon reports from instructional supervision activities from supervisors; Lack of logistics for regular supervision; Insufficient up-to-date knowledge and skills for organizing instructional supervision; and Financial constraints. To overcome the challenges and poor supervisory techniques by headteachers and SISOs, it is recommended that these personnel should be oriented on modern trends in instructional supervision, provided with adequate and sufficient materials for instructional supervision, sufficient funds provided for organizing instructional supervision, the municipal directorate should fairly and firmly implement reports on instructional supervision activities and there should be good motivation package for supervisors to enable them to effectively perform their duties.

Challenges Affecting the Implementation of Decentralisation in Public Basic Schools in Ghana

Educational management is a major element that produces successful educational outcomes. Over the years decentralisation has become one major policy for effective and efficient educational management in public basic schools in Ghana. Decentralisation entails the transfer of administrative and fiscal authority to the grassroot where management decisions prickly taken for effective management. This study sought to investigate challenges mitigating the implementation of decentralisation in public basic schools in Ghana. Among some key challenges faced were inadequate logistics for key stakeholders to carry out their functions. Again, there are limited support for infrastructure from both local and governmental levels. There are inadequate and delay in supply of teaching and learning materials. Delay in decision on appointments, promotions and sanction of errant staff. Political interference by government appointees also affects implementation of effective decentralisation. Difficulty in monitoring and supervise some schools due to bad roads in deprived communities also have adverse effect on the implementation of decentralisation. It was recommended devolution policy to replace the existing decentralisation policy in public basic schools for the full benefit of decentralisation. This will make it possible for major decisions like appointments, promotions and disciplinary actions taken at grassroot level instead of the centre. Logistics and TLM must get to schools on time for effective management of school.

Controlling Examination Malpractice in Senior High Schools in Ghana through Performance-Base Assessment

The purpose of the study was find out the perceive impact performance-based assessment on examination malpractice at the SHS level. This study employed descriptive design. A performance-based test was developed by the researcher. The population for the study were mathematics examiners and teachers and public SHS three students in in the western region of Ghana. A multistage sampling procedure was used for the selection of respondents for the study. The study made use of stratified, simple random and census techniques for selecting participates for the study. In all, sample of 240 examiners and 150 mathematics teachers in the western region of Ghana was selected for the study. The instrument for the data collection of the study was questionnaire. Data collected was analysed with means and standard deviation. It was found that mensuration, set, equations and inequalities, business mathematics and algebraic expressions were expressed to attract much malpractice whiles graphs, angles and construction were found to least attract malpractice. The result also showed that PBA could reduce examination malpractice at the SHS level. It was therefore recommended that the West African Examination Council should give a try-out of PBA in the SHS for some selected schools to further ascertain the strength and weaken of the developed PBA.

Mercury transit observed in Ghana

The planet Mercury transited the face of the Sun in a rare spectacle on 11 November 2019. It was an awe-inspiring moment for 300 students from Kwabenya Community High School and Ghana Atomic Energy Commission Basic School in Ghana to see this wonder of the cosmos. Celestron Power Seeker 60 mm diameter telescopes were used to project the Sun’s image on a white card on the ground to observe safely. It was a time for the kids to relate the theory of eclipse and transits to a practical life experience. This was an avenue to introduce astronomy to the kids.

Evaluation of Teacher Support Materials (TSM) in Teaching Titration in the Senior High Schools in Ghana

A qualitatively, interpretative design was adopted to evaluate type of laboratory practical Teacher Support Materials that could be used to teach practical skills of observation, listening and communication and manipulation of apparatus in titration. The population of the study consisted of three public Senior High Schools (SHS) in Komenda Edina Eguafo Abirem (KEEA) municipality of the Central Region of Ghana. Each school offers chemistry as a subject to students. Convenient, purposive and simple random sampling techniques were used to sample schools, teachers and students for the study. Six (6) teachers were purposively sampled out of a total of 8 chemistry teachers because they had qualification in Science Education in Chemistry. Five (5) students from each school were randomly selected from each of the three SHS for focal group discussion. The main instrument used for data collection were semi structured interview guide and Observation Checklist (OC). Teachers interview schedule was used to solicit information from the chemistry teachers on how they perceived the use of Practical Skills- based TSMs for teaching practical process skills in titration at the SHS levels. The curriculum profile was used to collect data to answer the research question. For each of the four Lesson Profiles (lesson introduction, skill development, application and closure) of the lesson plan, the total number of scores was divided by the maximum possible scores for the profile and expressed as percentage and qualitatively describing the trends of emerging themes. The study concluded that there has been some improvement in the cognitive experience and pedagogical content knowledge of the teachers as well as the students in the use of the PS-based teacher support material in the laboratory. It is recommended that teachers and educators should thoroughly read and assimilate the contents and the processes described in the PS-based TSMs before they are used in teaching titration so as to develop practical process skills of the students.

School Choice and Educational Mobility: Lessons from Secondary School Applications in Ghana

Do school choice programs increase opportunities for educational mobility or reinforce initial disparities in schooling? I address this question in the context of the public education system in Ghana, which uses standardized tests and a nation-wide application process to allocate 150,000 elementary school students to 650 secondary schools. As has been found in other settings, students from lower-performing elementary schools in Ghana apply to less selective secondary schools than students with the same test scores from higher-performing elementary schools. My analysis suggests that dierences in application behavior are largely due to imperfect information about admission chances and dierences in decision-making skills, rather than dierences in preferences or the costs and accessibility of schools. Additionally, I show that the impact of uncertainty declines following a series of reforms in the application process that expanded the number of choices students could list, and encouraged students to select a more \diversied

The Nexus Between Cocoa Farmers’ Business Schools Participation and Impact to Support Livelihood Improvement Strategies in Ghana

The authors examined cocoa farmers’ participation in Farmer Business Schools (FBS) in Ghana, impacts of livelihood outcomes (human, physical, financial, and social capitals) on participation, and implications of participation on productivity and per capita expenditure. We used cross-sectional data from 150 cocoa farmers. Data was analyzed with descriptive statistics, heteroskedastic probit, and doubly robust augmented inverse probability weighted regression adjustment model (AIPW). More than half of cocoa farmers participated in FBS. Financial capital (income and loan accessibility) and social capital (farmer group membership) positively influenced participation in FBS. Nevertheless, human capital (ability to pay medical bills) and physical capital (number of sleeping rooms) negatively influenced participation in FBS. Knowledge and skills cocoa farmers obtained from FBS are new farming methods, creativity in solving farming problems, record keeping, and managerial skills. Participation in FBS had a positive impact and a heterogeneous effect on cocoa farmers’ productivity and per capita expenditure. Given that the impact of FBS was heterogeneous, the FBS curriculum and approach should be segmented for different types of farmers to the generic FBS approaches currently practiced.

Special educators' intentions towards supporting practice of inclusive education for students with disabilities in secondary schools in Ghana.

BackgroundAlthough teacher training institutions have introduced courses in inclusive education to equip teachers with the necessary pedagogical skills to teach in diverse classrooms, it has been argued that the services of special educators are essential when it comes to teaching students with disabilities in regular classrooms. Unfortunately, there is scant literature on the views of special educators regarding the enactment of inclusive education in sub-Saharan African countries, such as Ghana.ObjectiveIn an effort towards promoting inclusive education in Ghana, there has been deployment of special educators across Ghana to supervise the implementation of inclusive education in schools. The purpose of this study was to explore the intentions of special educators towards supporting teachers to teach students with disabilities in secondary schools.MethodAjzen’s theory of planned behaviour guided the development of interview guide for data collection for this qualitative study. Twelve special educators were purposively selected and interviewed from five districts in Ghana.ResultsThe participants expressed their unpreparedness to work in secondary schools because of multiple factors, such as their job description, resistance from teachers, and inadequate teaching and learning materials.ConclusionThis study concludes on the need for policymakers to reconsider the deployment of special educators to cluster of schools or geographical areas in order to supervise the education of children with disabilities.

Assessment of teacher quality and effective teaching of social studies in junior high schools in Garu district of Ghana

Introduction: Enhancing the quality of Social Studies teachers is significantly necessary for effective teaching and learning of Social Studies in Junior High schools in Ghana. Purpose: The purpose of the study was to provide empirical evidence about teacher quality and the effective teaching of Social Studies in Junior High schools in the Garu District. Methodology: The study adopted a descriptive survey design. The population for the study involved all Social Studies teachers in Junior High Schools in the Garu District. In all twenty-seven (27) Social Studies teachers made up of Five (5) females and twenty-two (22) males who were purposively selected to participate in the study. A structured questionnaire was designed and used for data collection. Results: Findings from the study revealed that most Social Studies teachers possessed the minimum requirements for teaching Social Studies and are professionally qualified and trained for effective teaching of the subject. Also, many Social Studies teachers have not received any form of in-service training which could hamper effective teaching. Recommendations: The study recommends that emphasis should be placed on in-service training for teachers teaching Social Studies at the Basic school level for the subject's objectives to be achieved. It is therefore imperative for these teachers to join the National Social Studies Association (NaSSA) in order to get continuous professional development which will keep them up-to-date on the latest innovations in Social Studies Education and also grant them access to networking opportunities.

Impact of Professional Development Programmes on Teachers’ Knowledge and Academic Performance of Senior High School Students in Ghana

To improve educational outcomes through improvements in teaching standards, the Ministry of Education has stepped up efforts aimed at providing continuous and lifelong learning among Ghanaian teachers. However, the impact of the recent emphasis on a comprehensive framework for the professional development of teachers on teaching and learning outcomes has not been adequately studied. Despite the growing body of literature suggesting that professional development and professional knowledge may be associated with student outcomes, these relationships remain an open question. This study, therefore, sought to determine the impact of teachers’ professional development on academic performance in senior high schools in Ghana and the mediating role of teachers’ professional knowledge. A survey was conducted, and valid questionnaires were retrieved from 4,102 teachers in selected public senior high schools from four regions (including 77 districts and 97 public senior high schools) across the Southern, Middle, and Northern belts of Ghana. The results of the study showed that professional development has a significant positive relationship with professional knowledge (γ = 0.26, p < 0.001). Also, professional development and professional knowledge were positively related to academic performance (γ = 0.08, p < 0.001) and (γ = 0.04, p < 0.001) respectively. Finally, the results of the study showed that professional knowledge partially mediated the relationship between professional development and academic performance. The study, therefore, concluded that professional development leads to improvements in the academic performance of students through improvements in teachers’ professional knowledge and other characteristics of teachers that were not accounted for by this study. Among other things, the study recommends that teachers should be encouraged to engage in diverse professional development activities that respond to the inadequacies in their professional competencies.

The Impact of the Free Senior High School Education Policy and Double-Track System on Quality Education Outcomes: A Quasi-Experimental Policy Evaluation Study in Ghana

In the 2017/2018 academic year, the government of Ghana, through the Ministry of Education, began an educational reform policy codenamed the “Free Senior High School” (FSHS) policy to fully absorb the cost, increase enrolment, and improve the quality of education for all public senior high schools in Ghana. To accommodate more students and reduce overcrowding in schools, the government, as part of the FSHS policy, introduced the double-track system, which divides the total student population and staff into two tracks; as one of the tracks attends school, the other is on vacation and vice versa. No study has assessed this policy on education outcomes. This study assessed the impact of the FSHS policy and the double-track system on quality education outcomes and explored the challenges associated with the implementation of the policies. The study further identified strategies needed to address these challenges. The study employed a quasi-experimental study design using a pre-post data collection instrument designed to assess quality education metrics. We also used a comparative cross-sectional study design and qualitative design methodologies to evaluate the FSHS policy and the double-track system. We quantified the impact of the policies using quantile and ordinary least square regression models with cluster robust standard errors. Our evaluation of the policy showed a significant decline in quality of education outcomes and academic performance. Students who attended the double-track schools performed poorly in all the core subjects compared with non-double-track schools. The challenges associated with the implementation of the policy were financial constraints, infrastructure deficit, inadequate and delayed release of food items, lack of teaching and learning materials, inadequate contact hours, and poor implementation of the policy and the double-track system. Government must comprehensively review the FSHS policy and consider cost sharing with parents and caregivers to sustain the policy.

Menstrual hygiene management in public high schools in Ghana.

in the ten (10) regions of Ghana. The findings showed that most girls in Public Senior High Schools in Ghana had prior knowledge about menstruation from their mothers and sisters prior to menarche. It was revealed that majority of the girls mentioned hormones as the cause of menstruation, whilst others mentioned the uterus, bladder, vagina, and other parts of the female reproductive system. A few of them had no idea what causes menstruation. The findings again revealed that most girls use sanitary pads, while some use other materials during menstruation. Less than half of the sample of girls in this study were able to change their pads twice daily or more. About half of the girls cleansed their genital parts only when bathing during menstruation using soup and water mostly. Half of the schools used pblic tap/standpipe as their main source of water and the rest used other sources of water. Also, most schools have toilet facilities. Some useful recommendations are proffered with the aim of improving MHM in public high schools in Ghana.

Socio-Cultural Challenges and Coping Strategies: The Tale of Refugee Students in Senior High Schools in Ghana

Socio-Cultural Challenges and Coping Strategies: The Tale of Refugee Students in Senior High Schools in Ghana

Readability Analyses of Integrated Science Textbooks for Junior High Schools in Ghana

This study investigated the readability levels of some integrated science textbooks approved for use in junior high schools (JHS) in Ghana. To assess the readability levels of the approved integrated science textbooks in order to ascertain their difficulty or ease, the researchers used the Flesch Readability Ease and Flesch-Kincaid Readability Formulas Cloze Test to determine the comprehension levels for a sample of students. A sample of 135 pupils, drawn from rural, peri-urban and urban JHS years 1 through 3 in the Ashanti region participated in the study. The outcome of the assessments revealed that the selected textbooks had a problematic level of comprehension for many of their intended readership except those who had additional resources for assistance. The study also revealed that these approved books employed long sentences and multi-syllabic words to deliver lessons and instructions, making them difficult for JHS pupils to understand.