Author: CRIQPEG

Year of Study: 1996

Sub-Sector of study: Basic education

Theme of study: The poor performance of pupils at the basic level of education

Scope of Study: Country-wide

Initiator of Study: The study was initiated by the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT)

Executing Body: GNAT

1. OBJECTIVES: To review the total policy document on FCUBE; to look at the weaknesses within the education reform policy of 1987 and its implications for FCUBE; to recommend strategies that would help maximize returns from the huge financial outlay so far made on basic education

2. Methodology: Information was obtained through analytical review of the policy and plan documents on the Basic Education Sector Improvement Programme. This took the form of detailed and critical analysis of the provisions in the documents, their implications and alternate designs where necessary. Comparative analysis of the situation in other countries was also carried out.

3. Findings: The findings of the study revealed the following: access to basic education was not available to all citizens; quality of education in many schools was not sufficiently high to produce the level of literacy and other skills required for social and economic participation in society; national fiscal and human resources allocated to education were low. Reforms were required to ensure an efficient allocation and management. The problem of low performance at the basic education level was due partly to unavailability of textbooks and other teaching/learning materials. It was also due to poor teacher quality and motivation. The pupils could not cope with the large number of subjects for which they had to pass an exam.

4. Recommendations: Among the recommendations were the following: (i) There was the need to improve the supply of teaching/learning materials. (ii) There was the need to have improved incentive packages for teachers in order to attract higher achievers into the teaching field. (iii) There was the need to set up a regular and efficient supervisory and management system. (iv) New books and curriculum should be designed and written. (v) Teachers should be trained to obtain degrees and teach even at the primary level.

6. Reasons for Initiation: To identify weaknesses in the education reform programme. Improvement in quality of education.

8. Follow-up Actions of Recommendations: None.

9. Implementability of Recommendations:: The recommendations were highly implementable.

13. Relationship findings/recommendations: Part of the recommendations can be derived from the findings of the study.

14. Relationship RecommendationS/Objectives: The findings and recommendations are related to the objectives of the study.

15. Quality and importance of study: These are judged to be high.

Authors: Dzinyela, Joseph Mensah Kugbe, G.K. Harrison and Joseph Ghartey-Ampiah

Year of Study: 1996

Sub-Sector: Basic education

Theme of Study: Performance of primary six pupils in English language and mathematics

Scope of Study: Limited to two regions in Ghana, Central and Western

Initiator of Study: Joint project by the Centre for Research on Improving Quality of Primary Education in Ghana (CRIQPEG) and Institute for International Research (IIR), USA supported by USAID

Executing Body: CRIQPEG

1. OBJECTIVES: To examine whether changes observed in earlier studies had been consolidated. To compare performance of pupils from urban, semi-urban and rural schools. To compare performance of pupils from intensive and non-intensive schools (intensive schools were schools that received instructional intervention from the CRIQPEG research team).

2. Methodology: Sample survey (14 primary schools were involved in the study, 8 from the Central Region and 6 from the Western Region. Three of the schools were urban-located, three were in the semi-urban and eight were in rural areas.) A Curriculum-based Assessment Instrument was used for data collection made up of sub-tests in oral proficiency, reading and comprehension and writing. Two hundred and twenty-three P6 pupils were involved: 135 pupils from intensive schools and 88 from non-intensive schools. Project Phase 1 examined the availability of resources and use of instructional materials in English language and science. Phase 2 assessed the reading, writing and oral language ability of more than 1,000 children in 14 schools (classes 2-5) in the Central and Western Regions. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of the data were undertaken.

3. Findings: There was an improvement over the performance of the previous year. Urban schools performed better than semi-urban and rural schools. Intensive schools had become more proficient in speaking, reading and writing of the English language than their counterparts in non-intensive schools.

4. Recommendations: More attention should be paid to interventions in the area of reading comprehension. Extra efforts needed to be made to narrow the gap between urban and rural schools. In future tracer studies, the degree of sustainability of the apparent gains of the project needed to be ascertained. The scope of future studies should be broadened to include assessment of pupils performance in terms of gender.

7. Target Destination of Recommendations: MOE/GES Headquarters to aid policy formulation on primary education. Follow-up action to ensure that recommendations reached their destination. Dissemination seminars were organized and results published in Journal for Science and Mathematics Education.

8. Follow-up Actions of Recommendations: n/a.

9. Implementability of recommendations: The recommendations were implementable.

10. Actions showing Awareness/ Acceptability of study: Introduction of Improving Learning through Partnership (ILP) Project.

11. Relevance toEducational Needs: Policy-makers rated the study as relevant.

12. Impact: The study generated a follow-up study and its findings and recommendations led to the starting of the ILP Project.

14. Relationship RecommendationS/Objectives: The findings revealed the true picture of inadequacies in the urban, semi-urban and rural schools. The objectives and the recommendations provided action that needed to be taken to address the inadequacies.

15. Quality and importance of study: The study is rated as important and of high quality.

Authors: Watson, Julian, Joshua Agbotui and Ruben Atekpe

Year of Study: 1997

Sub-Sector of Study: Basic education

Theme of Study: Primary textbook development: logistics and distribution

Scope of Study: Four districts: Tema, Accra, West Gonja and Kumasi

Initiator of Study: USAID/Ghana

Executing Body: AMEX International Inc.

1. Objectives: To analyse MOE’s current and planned distribution and logistics systems. To make recommendations for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the distribution and logistics systems including the use of non-governmental or private distributors. To make preparatory cost analyses of the current and proposed distribution and logistics systems and procedures.

2. Methodology: Primary and secondary sources of data were used in the study. The secondary data consisted of references to official documents from USAID, MOE and GES. The primary data were collected through interviews and discussions in the West Gonja district and Kumasi district in Ashanti region. The consultants visited schools in the selected districts.

3. Findings: There were successes in textbook distribution in certain areas even though the current textbook distribution system in Ghana fails to fulfil all three of its requirements, namely Right book, Right time and Right place. Current management structures, stock levels, warehouses and present distribution chain have their own shortcomings.

4. Recommendations: Supply and logistics activities should operate as an independent professional unit. Merging the Logistics and Supply Division and the Transport Unit. Transport workshop must be established. Warehouse improvement must be undertaken. Management training provided. Payment of backlog of teachers’ travel and transport expenses. Long-term plan must be drawn up to facilitate the fusion of GES and PMU activities in supply and logistics into one unit, ensuring organizational integration, cohesion and, above all, effectiveness. A trained print-buyer should be made responsible for purchasing. A new modern warehouse complex should be constructed in Tema for storage of stocks of books and materials. The warehouse must send out consignments already shrunk wrapped into specific school requirements bearing the necessary paper works within the plastic covering. Each pack should weigh no more than 40 kilos for easy carrying to schools. This will ensure better protection for handling, little or no tampering, cheaper shrink-wrapping than cardboard cartooning, easier monitoring and easier handling by private contractors, to the specific schools without passing through district offices.

5. Placement Under MOE Strategic Objectives: (i) Improving management efficiency; (ii) Improvement and assurance of quality of teaching and learning; (iii) Decentralization and sustainability of management structures.

12. Impact: Policy makers/implementers indicated that the study influenced the textbook distribution system for the better.

14. Relationship RecommendationS/Objectives: The objectives of the study are reflected in the recommendations.

15. Quality and importance of study: The study was well conducted and well reported. Its importance to the education sector is appreciated in view of the findings from many other studies that lack of textbooks in the classroom has been a major weakness in Ghana’s education delivery system.

Authors: Prepared by USAID/Ghana

Year of Study: 1996

Sub-Sector of Study: Basic education

Theme of Study: Participation in the provision of basic education by non-governmental organizations

Scope of Study: Country-wide

Initiator of Study: USAID/Ghana

Executing Body: Office of Education and Human Resource Development, USAID/Ghana

1. OBJECTIVES: To provide a reference resource that will inform government and non-governmental organizations and donor agencies on the services which NGOs can provide to the basic education sector in Ghana. To support the MOE FCUBE programme. To identify the major NGOs that support primary and junior secondary education or that have a successful record of community mobilization in Ghana. To identify constraints faced by such NGOs. To determine the success of their approaches. To give an account of the legislative framework within which NGOs work. To provide a matrix summarizing the main activities of each NGO.

2. Methodology: Field surveys and documents from the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare (MESW), MOE, the Ghana Association of Private Voluntary Organisations in Development (GAPVOD) and other donor agencies were used. The survey was carried out in eight regions. Semi–structured qualitative survey instruments and interviews were conducted with staff of relevant NGOs in each region, MESW and GAPVOD.

3. Findings: The study identified 55 NGOs, 40 of which provided services to the education sector. Profiles were given about each NGO. NGOs were categorized into six: Ghanaian chapters of international NGOs; Ghanaian NGOs in partnership with international organizations; local NGOs; denominational religious mission development agencies; religious education units; NGOs providing other community services. Major services to education were: school renovation and construction including teachers’ quarters; provision of educational materials; in-service up-grading of teachers skills; capacity building of PTAs. Functional literacy classes with the Non-Formal Education Division (NFED); provision of school infrastructure at pre-school, basic, secondary and vocational levels; provision of school uniforms; teaching of science, mathematics and English language in the secondary schools. Poverty and low levels of literacy of target communities often hinder participatory approaches by NGOs. Some NGOs claim that they do not receive co-operation from line ministries.

5. Placement Under MOE Strategic Objectives: (i) Improving access, participation and equity in education; (ii) Cost-effectiveness.

7. Target Destination of Recommendations: MOE/GES. Heads of tertiary institutions. NGOs.

8. Follow-up Actions of Recommendations: Dissemination of findings.

9. Implementability of Recommendations: Recommendations were realistic and implementable.

10. Actions showing Awareness/ Acceptability of study: All decisions were enriched by the study. Support received from USAID was an outcome of the study. UNICEF contribution based on report used for plan formulation.

14. Relationship Recommendations/Objectives: The findings and recommendations reflect the objectives of the study.

15. Quality and importance of study: The study is important and sets out the roles of education partners with the government.

Authors: Baku, Joshua J.K. and Dominic K. Agyeman

Year of Study: 1997

Sub-Sector of Study: Basic education

Theme of Study: Community participation in the provision of access to and quality of basic education

Scope of Study: Country-wide

Initiator of Study: Educational Research Network for West and Central Africa (ERNWACA)

Executing Body: ERNWACA/Ghana Researchers and Public Servants

1. Objectives: To establish the extent to which the level of community participation in Ghana affects access and quality of education at the basic education level. To establish critical utilization-focused information relating to types and forms of community participation in public schools; dimensions of community participation; access to basic education; quality of basic education; relationships between the dimensions and levels of community participation and access to as well as quality of basic education.

2. Methodology: The triangulation approach, involving survey focus group discussion, observation and achievement testing, was used to generate primary data. In addition, secondary data from the Equity Improvement Programme were used. The multi-staged sampling procedure was adopted.

3. Findings: Community participation in one form or the other exists in all the communities but the level of participation is generally low. Communities would like to have a say in the form and type of participation expected of them. Factors affecting participation were attitude, motivation, good local leadership, good communication links, enlightened members of the community, encouragement of community-initiated participation and availability of basic organizational structures. Access and retention were increased through community participation. There was a strong positive relationship between community participation and quality of education. The level of school endowment does not necessarily reflect the level of community participation.

4. Recommendations: Bottom-up approach to community participation should be encouraged in all communities. Every effort should be made to practice that the basic education system and its organization belongs to the community. Parents with children in school should be used as role models for other parents. Schools must be encouraged to participate in some of the activities of their respective communities. More conscious effort should be made to involve communities at the level of management and administration of the schools. To succeed in getting all children of school-going age in school, the problem of poverty in the society must be addressed. Head-teachers and teachers should be advised to give due respect and regard to the views of parents on issues of the school.

Participation in communal labour in schools should be made compulsory by legislative instrument.

5. Placement under MOE Strategic Objectives: (i) Improving access, participation and equity in education; (ii) Improving operations of self-sustainable functional literacy programmes; (iii) Improving management efficiency.

6. Reasons for Initiation: To improve the quality of the education process; To influence policy on community involvement in the education and its process.

14. Relationship Recommendations/Objectives: The findings and recommendations adequately satisfy the objectives of the study.

15. Quality and importance of study: Both the quality and the importance of the study are high.

Author: Kraft, Richard

Year of Study: 1994

Sub-Sector of Study: Basic education

Theme of Study: Ghanaian children under the current Ghanaian language policy do not reach the cognitive threshold necessary for successful transfer to English by P4

Scope of Study: Country-wide

Initiator of Study: USAID

Executing Body: The Mitchell Group, Inc.

1. OBJECTIVES: To analyse the quality of existing English and maths curricula issues; how to improve the quality and usage of English and mathematics textbooks, handbooks and syllabi.

2. Methodology: Library/survey study; interviews; visits to schools and universities.

3. Findings: Ghanaian children, especially those in the rural setting, do not have enough contact hours with teachers for effective learning. Ninety-five per cent of Ghanaian children are not achieving mastery of basic skills in mathematics and English. There is need for good curricular material to be supported by improved classroom practices. Large class and school size with teaching tools like textbooks, readers-exercise books, teachers guides, libraries and other school facilities combine with pedagogical skills to affect teaching and learning. Irregular distribution of textbooks and school resources throw out of gear central records and lead to over- and under-supply of educational materials to schools. Taking into consideration the background of both teachers and pupils, and the lack of supplementary instructional materials in the schools, the current textbooks are inadequate to meet the needs of Ghana. In Ghana there are no supplementary reading material which is the major key to successful literacy. Workbooks and exercise-books can provide children with more practice in mathematical and other problems, but these are lacking in Ghanaian classrooms. Teachers handbooks are few in the schools, they are repetitive and they restrict the teacher to the use of a very small variety of teaching strategies in the classroom. The Ghanaian primary-school-syllabi do not conform to modern trends and approaches in the USA and the United Kingdom and other countries. A large majority of Ghanaian school children remain functionally illiterate in English and their mother tongue. The teaching of mathematics in Ghana is out of focus with what is now almost universally accepted. Ghanaian schools have no libraries and the few that exist are not fully utilized by both pupils and teachers. It is not easy to categorize as to how well prepared primary-school-teachers are in mathematics and English. Ghanaian children spend less time in school than in many other nations. The current schedule for primary schools which calls for only 15 per cent of the time given over to English and 10 per cent to Ghanaian languages with 15 per cent to mathematics is woefully inadequate.

4. Recommendations: Educational Television. Teachers and school children must hear and use English to be able to genuinely communicate in the language. Ghana Broadcasting Corporation could investigate the adaptation of Sesame Street and other children’s programmes from the USA, United Kingdom, Canada or Australia for use in Ghana.

Interactive Radio: This has proven to be a major success in Kenya and several other countries in the teaching of English and other languages. Curriculum reform can make a difference in the lives of children and better instructional materials can significantly improve their life. With a good research base being set through criterion-referenced testing (CRT), and other studies now being conducted by CRIQPEG, it will be important to analyse the effects of various interventions as they are put into place. Head-teachers should be given more power to control class-size because of the negative effects. Students from the technical training colleges (TTCs) and universities need more experience in schools and could serve as unpaid interns, aides or assistants in crowded classrooms. A tighter management and distribution system needs to be put in place to ensure that every child has each of the textbooks by 1995 as planned. As soon as possible, textbooks must also be made available for purchase so that parents, teachers and schools that want to obtain copies can do so easily. To make provision for children who are ‘below grade level’ in their performance, each classroom in the school should be provided with multiple (2-5) copies of each of previous years’ textbooks in mathematics and English. Following a high-level commission analysis and recommendations on reform of the curriculum the next step should be the rewriting of the primary-school textbooks along with the preparation of appropriate guides, handbooks, syllabi, modules and other instructional materials needed for a complete instructional system. In addition to the school libraries, it is recommended that a large body of interesting, well-illustrated children’s books in Ghanaian languages, in English, and even in a bilingual format be developed where feasible. Despite the dangers that workbooks have proven to be in some countries, they should be provided to children once financially feasible. In the absence of this, the MOE should at least provide a master copy to each teacher to use in preparing home-work and other assignments for the children. Every teacher should be provided with the appropriate copies of each handbook as soon as financially feasible. A much more detailed set of units, models, assessment tools, teaching ideas, questioning techniques, worksheets, games and other materials should be included in the handbooks when revised to bring about a true reform in teacher and student classroom behaviour. Rather than one syllabus for each subject area, there should be a syllabus for each grade level in each subject when the primary-school curriculum is reformed. New instructional materials along with teacher training can go a long way towards improving mathematics in Ghana. A minimal school library could be purchased for each primary school in the country, with a carefully selected 100 children’s books in national languages, where appropriate, or in English. In addition to all the other language-related recommendations in this evaluation, a kit should be prepared for each current and future teacher.

Through careful controls, monitoring, management and a tightening up of the rules and regulations concerning absence, tardiness and lax administration of many schools, the children will have the same chance at an education that other countries give their children.

Additional recommendations: The University of Cape Coast along with MOE, PREP, GES, the TTCs and other universities could do a great deal of valuable training. The TTCs should be designated as centres of training and excellence in primary-school education and should work closely with the Primary Education Department at UCC in designing and carrying out pre-service programmes, working on the proposed in-service distance programmes and conducting in-service workshops in their region.

Ghanaian languages: several worthwhile research projects that could be beneficial in promoting the proposed primary school reform.

14. Relationship RecommendationS/Objectives: The recommendations are related to the objectives The recommendations address the objectives of the study.

15. Quality and importance of study: The quality of the study was high. The study was important for the education system because of its focus on improving the quality of education which was and still is a key issue in the sector. The study process and reporting is good.

Author: Nti, James

Year of Study: 1998

Sub-Sector of Study: Basic education

Theme of Study: The clarification of the responsibilities of the Basic Education Division

Scope of Study: GES Headquarters

Initiator of Study: Department for International Development (DFID)

Executing Body: Consultant

1. Objectives: To produce a staff development plan for the Basic Education Division based on the agreed organisational structure of the Division.

2. Methodology: Literature review, interviews.

3. Findings: In the Basic Education Division, schedule officers have been assigned to handle aspects of the broad functional areas but with the exception of Girls’ Education, there are no designated unit heads. Every officer reports to the Director or in her absence to the Deputy Director. The existing structure assigned two specific functional areas to the Director and the Deputy Director is assigned responsibility in one. In these functional areas the specific functions that the Director and the Deputy Director are to perform are not clearly defined. No officer is engaged in building operational research capacity which addresses broad access issues. Not enough attention is being given to supporting District Directors of Education without whom the Basic Education Division cannot achieve its performance targets. District Directors have no one focal point at the GES headquarters to which they relate. District Directors have no option but to follow-up their requests themselves directly with various divisions at headquarters in the areas which the latter operate. Some District Directors would appreciate having someone at headquarters to push their needs and follow-up their concerns.

4. Recommendations: The responsibilities of the Director and her Deputy should be macro-oriented and not micro-oriented. The major responsibilities for the Basic Education Division are to promote the delivery of quality basic education and to facilitate access to education for all children of school-going age in the country. The organizational structure of the Basic Education Division should comprise a unit to handle matters relating to the management of basic education; a unit concerned with access and participation issues and a unit dealing with the promotion and enhancement of girls’ enrolment and retention in schools and their participation in science, mathematics and technology education. The goals of each unit and the responsibilities of each schedule under it, should be clearly spelt out so that each officer is fully aware of what is expected of him/her. In assigning schedules to individual officers the job specifications for that particular position should be the criteria. Officers should be trained to develop their capability to perform duties assigned to them.

For the efficient utilization of staff, each unit head (with the exception of the head of the Girls’ Education Unit) should handle one substantive schedule as well as supervising schedule officers under him/her. The structure of the Division should be operated in a manner that would enable officers in different units and schedule to readily share information and expertise and give mutual support to each other especially in peak periods and in the organization and delivery of training programmes. In the Basic Education Division, including the Director and the Deputy Director, there should be twenty (20) staff made up of fifteen (15) professional and five (5) support staff. Each schedule should be handled by one officer except the two schedules in the Girls’ Education Unit and the schedule that deals with support for district level educational planning and community participation which should have two schedule officers each. In consultation with GES authorities the director should assign officers to the new schedules bearing in mind job specifications. Officers working in one unit should be accommodated as closely together as possible to promote and facilitate supervision and consultation.

14. Relationship Recommendations/Objectives: The findings and recommendations are related to the objectives of the study.

15. Quality and importance of study: The quality of the study is high and it is important to the education system.

Author(s): Kwapong, Alexander A., Colin J. Yerbury, Reuben A. Aggor, K.A. Awuku and D.Y. Owusu

Year of Study: 1994

Sub-sector of Study: Tertiary education

Theme of Study: Distance education as a way of increasing access in tertiary education

Scope of Study: Country-wide

Initiator of Study: Study was initiated by the MOE and sponsored by UNESCO

Executing Body: Study team consisted of four professional Ghanaian educators from the education sector of Ghana, and a distance education consultant from the Simon Fraser University of Canada

1. Objectives: To examine the possibility of using distance education as a means of meeting the increasing demand for higher education.

2. Methodology: Information was gathered through the examination of reports and documents relating to distance education. It also included interviews, discussions and consultations with senior officials of the MOE and the universities.

3. Findings: Distance education was found to be an all important option to meet both the demand for and the increase in access to higher education. Distance education was also found to be a means to reducing the cost of higher education for both government and students.

4. Recommendations: The study recommended the following: The setting up of a National Distance Education Council and a Distance Education Secretariat. The various sub-sectors of the tertiary education system must be co-ordinated to provide continuous access from secondary education and training to the tertiary system. A need for the MOE and university personnel to develop an organizational culture where they view themselves as ‘Partners in University Distance Education’. There should be maximum use of existing resources, personnel and facilities wherever they were to be found in Ghana. Programme and curriculum development have to be jointly planned and co-ordinated to ensure that duplication is avoided and programme design made appropriate and cost-effective. Appropriate courseware should be obtained from other African or overseas countries and modified for use in Ghana.

5. Placement Under MOE Strategic Objectives: (i) Improving management efficiency; (ii) Improving access, participation and equity in education; (iii) Ensuring cost-effectiveness of tertiary education.

6. Reasons for Initiation: The need to increase access to tertiary education.

7. Target Destination of Recommendations: MOE and institutions of higher learning.

8. Follow-up Actions of Recommendations: Dissemination of findings, policy formulation and policy implementation.

9. Implementability of Recommendations: The recommendations were implementable.

10. Actions showing Awareness/ Acceptability of study: A policy on distance education was formulated and the study was used as the basis for the policy. Some recommendations for the implementation of the programme were implemented.

14. Relationship Recommendations/Objectives: The findings and, in particular, the recommendations are highly related to the objectives.