Free Senior High School Policy: Implications to Education Access Equity in Ghana (Published)
Equity in education is when every student receives the resources needed to acquire the basic work skills of reading, writing, and basic arithmetic. While Ghana has achieved near universal access to primary and lower secondary education, the gross enrollment rate in higher secondary education was below 45 percent in 2014, with large disparities in access. In the year 2017, the government of Ghana implemented a free SHS policy on a free access to secondary education for all. This research sought to investigate the implications of the free senior high school policy to educational access and equity in secondary education in Ghana. The document analysis approach was adopted for this study. The findings revealed that the free SHS policy has really increased enrollment figures in secondary schools’ attendance. The researcher recommended that parents, teachers, school administrators, policy analysts and relevant stakeholders have the responsibility to offer alternative proposals and do so in a manner that is constructive and helpful to the policy discourse.
Keywords: Access, Education, Equity, Quality, enrolment, equality, free senior high school
The Skill Gap between Printing Education and Printing Industry in Ghana (Published)
One of the objectives of Polytechnic Education (Technical University Education) in Ghana is the promotion of technical and vocational education and training, technology transfer and skills development to enhance the socio-economic development of the country. Polytechnic education plays a significant role in human resource development of a country by employing skilled manpower, enhancing industrial productivity and improving the status quo (quality of life). The main aim of the study was to identify and to address the gap between printing education and printing industry at Takoradi Polytechnic; so as to restructure the curriculum to reflect what is being done in the printing industry across the country. The literature review has been organized together with sub-headings as contained in the subsequent pages and have been reviewed in line with the views of scholars to help readers have an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the topic.The main respondents for the study included students and lecturers in the Department of Graphic Design Technology, Takoradi Polytechnic on one side and working staff of the selected printing firms in the Accra Metropolis. The researchers implemented the use of open and close type of questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and full-participant observational method in gathering data for the study. The study revealed that the Polytechnic Printing programme should be revised by the Polytechnic and the Department of Graphic Design to help produce skilled trained Graphic Designers to fit into the trending Digital Printing Industry. The study exposed that issues that are affecting the Polytechnic students in acquiring the necessary training and skills to march up to the Printing industry is the curriculum. If the Polytechnic curriculum is revised and students are provided with enough practical skills it is believed that the gap between the Printing Education and Printing Industry for the Polytechnic objectives will be achieved.
Keywords: Education, Printing Industry, Skills, Training, industralisation, polytechnic (technical university)
The Trilogy of Education, Environment and Economy (Published)
Education is the pivot of development. It has an over-riding force on the nature of the environment and economy that prevail in any given state. To that extent, education becomes the lubricant that shapes the behaviour, attitudes, abilities, perception and choices which set the overall tone of the economy. Education, therefore, as a factor of environmental and economic choices which make all the difference between developed, developing and underdeveloped societies, is the subject of critique in this paper.
Keywords: Economy, Education, Environment
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Education in Cambodia (Published)
This paper reviewed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education by preliminary document studies. In Cambodia, as of 30 October 2020, school closures replaced by distance learning. First, the paper highlighted the immediate impact on student learning and wellbeing, mostly kids. Second, it illustrated teachers and school personnel are facing on adapting with ICT skills to support distance learning. Third, it showed ineffective delivery of continuous learning and learning outcomes are not quite well and limit for quality of education. Finally, it stated the implementation of the Ministry of Education Youth and Sports (MoEYS) Education Strategic Plan (ESP) 2019-2023 is also severely impacted by the pandemic. To address these challenges, MoEYS developed learning platforms and continue learning programs for line learning. The Joint Technical Working Group (JTWG), MoEYS and ESWG created objectives for the Education COVID-19 Response Plan. MoEYS is planning to reopen educational institutions in three phases with the strictest health safety standards by blended learning following the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the condition of Covid-19. The paper recommended that the government and MoEYS and stakeholders should respond to the situations during the Covid-19 pandemic: i). The continuous learning program should be strengthened as a priority for online learning with social media to ensure effective learning; ii). The digital infrastructure should be promoted in the countryside and remote areas to strengthen online learning with the platforms of MoEYS; iii). The ICT skills and digital education should be strengthened by providing training and development to teachers to ensure effective online learning; and teachers and students engagement, and iv). The content and curriculum on paper should be adapted and replaced by digital form to ensure effective learning and teaching.
Keywords: COVID-19, Education, Impact, pandemic
Rosseau on Education (Published)
There is a long tradition of delivering and getting the formal education, especially from Greek era. But, apart from it, around one million years ago when man raised himself from Homo-erectus to Homo-Sapien, Homo-Sapien Sapien, has been learning to know about Nature. He developed language, which also came to him from external atmosphere. Can we refuse that people made tools from stones, bronze and iron? This shows that, as many interacted with Nature. It also whispered in their mind its secrets. So, we can say that learning is not the phenomena of today. But, when eventually knowledge got its formal shape, it’s considered, that man’s heritage is stored in language, both written and oral. In many countries, still people orally recite legends. Written word was formed in Egypt in the shape hieroglyphics. Even, Herodotus admired Egyptian architecture. Eventually formal education started in Greece, and the first philosopher was Thales of Miletus who was a materialist. The ideas under discussion and in form of treatises were diverse. If we can sweepingly say, the source of human knowledge, in its earliest way, started from Greeks, and until now knowledge and education have their roots in Grecian thoughts. Greeks enriched every field of Knowledge. In historical context we still have to look back to Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, but this tradition didn’t stop and has led to superior intelligence in the mind, which is making inventions and developing theories, day after day.In the history of philosophy, as its source is conjoined with Greeks, but in West, several philosophers have carried out this tradition, like Rosseau, Kant, Hegel, Marx, Sartre, Wittgenstein and Alfred North White Head. We don’t indulge ourselves in the game of the greatest, or major or minor philosophers, but everyone has contributed according to his own capacity, to the collective body of human Knowledge.Knowledge can be easily equated with education. Knowledge and education go side by side. We seek knowledge and then after digesting it we become educated. But, it should be kept in mind, the body of knowledge is so large, that our mind is limited and can’t attain everything and every type of education.This article is based specifically on the views of education by Rosseau, which are perpetually modern. Rosseau was the major figure, as an intellectual, behind French Revolution of 1789.Rosseau also was among the most persecuted philosophers due to his adventurous and rebellious, but diverse ideas. He wrote, ‘Emile’, which is known as the best book on education. It can also help the chaotic conditions of this post-modern world to exigize from it the true meanings of education, and resolve its problems. This book when reached to ‘Kant’ he was overjoyed. Moreover, ‘Confessions’ by Rosseau is a book which has no match, as a true autobiography.This article explores the modern creed of education and attempts to correlate it with high pitch ideas of Rosseau present in “Emile”.
Keywords: Education, Knowledge, Rosseau, modern education.
Special Needs Teachers Capacity in the Implementation of Competency Based Curriculum in Primary Schools in Kenya (Published)
This research looks at the capacity that special needs teachers in Kenyan primary schools have towards implementation of competency based curriculum in lower primary schools. Because of the abolishment of exclusion and adoption of inclusion policy, special needs learners are enrolled in mainstream schools and therefore have to be provided with the right and adequate support for their learning to take place. This study will survey a total of 83 public primary schools in Kapsaret Sub County, Kenya to determine the level of teacher capacity in the implementation of CBC. The sample will include special needs teachers teaching in those schools numbering to 69. Data collection was done through use of questionnaire for Special Needs Education Teachers in public primary schools. Data analysis will be performed using descriptive statistics for quantitative data and thematic content analysis for qualitative data. The study found out that: SNE teachers had moderate capacities in terms of understanding the CBC curriculum and preparedness in implementing the CBC content in public primary schools in the study area. The enrolment of special needs learners was low and had not increased significantly and this was attributed to lack of adequate capacities by SNE teachers to provide required support to disabled learners. the paper recommends that SNE teachers need to be provided with specialised training on CBC implementation in inclusive setting, schools should ensure facilities and resources to support inclusive education are provided and TSC to increase special needs teachers numbers to more than one in primary schools. This article discusses findings, implications for the special education teacher preparation programmes in Kenyan teacher training institutions, and recommendations for future research
Keywords: Curriculum, Education, Preparedness, Special Needs, capacity, competency
Factors that Impact Teachers’ Learning: Merging Technology with Education in Professional Development (Published)
In recent years, technology’s value is realized through how it has become part of our daily lives. As technology continues to evolve, so do people’s need to be updated with it. Teachers are one of the many professionals who can productively benefit from technology. The adoption of digital technologies in the education sector has enabled teachers to access content and assisted them in providing instruction. Moreover, the Internet helps teachers to share and compare ideas with colleagues. Since the use of technology has become commonplace, it is advisable to train teachers on how they can effectively use digital devices in the classroom. This paper examines how technology can help teachers in the classroom and explores professional development as an essential element in assisting teachers to adapt to the constant technological advances. Furthermore, the study explores how technology is being incorporated into the classroom. The study also discusses the controversy behind its use. The paper draws from past literature on the use of technology in teachers’ professional development.
Keywords: Education, Influence, Professional Development, Technology
Effect of Societal Prejudice on the Educational Attainment of Persons with Disabilities in Nigeria (Published)
The educational sector in Nigeria has attracted numerous debates among scholars particularly with regard to unequal opportunities for the citizenry. The persons with disabilities in the society have experienced the brunt of these unequal opportunities to education as they are little or no facilities available to aid their educational process. In addition, societal prejudices continues to deny them opportunities to attain heights of educations as families see them as burden and a waste of funds educating them. This is particularly worsened by religious and cultural inspired prejudices that tend to derogate persons with disabilities. This paper therefore seeks to investigate the impact of religious and cultural inspired prejudices on the educational attainment of persons with disabilities in Nigeria as well as the impact of societal prejudice on policy implementations that favour the education of persons with disabilities. To achieve these objectives, the study adopted the descriptive survey research approach and the target population for this study comprised of students, teachers, administrators within Oshimili South local government of Delta State. A sample of 26 administrators, 280 students and 228 teachers were selected and data collected using a structured questionnaire, while data was analyzed employing descriptive and content analysis. The relationship between variables was tested employing the chi-square test. The results from the research establish that education impacts national development in the country. In addition, the finding indicates that religious and cultural prejudices impacts the educational attainment of persons with disabilities in the society and this is worsened by the inadequate number of policies and infrastructures that aid in quality education for the persons with disabilities in the country.
Keywords: Disabilities, Education, Prejudice, persons
Teenage Pregnancy and Its Influence on Secondary School Education in Nigeria (Published)
Teenage pregnancy continues to rise in today’s society. It is estimated that about 16 million girls are married off every year (WHO, 2018) contributing to the number of teenage pregnancies across the globe. In Nigeria, 23% of females aged between 15-19 years are bearing children. This can be attributed to illiteracy, societal practices and poverty encouraging girls enter into sexual relationship at an early age. This condemnable situation leads to numbers complications which include; sexually transmitted diseases, school drop outs, pressure on the health sector, increased mortality to mention but a few. These impacts of school enrollment and drop out have significant implications on national development and therefor needs to be tackled urgently. This study therefore, seeks to analyze the influence of teenage pregnancy on secondary school education in Nigeria using a case study of Obio-Akpor L.G.A, Rivers State. The instrument for data collation was a semi-structured questionnaire and the data obtained analyzed employing SPSS version 2.0. A total of 802 respondents responded to the interview making the rate of response 96.2 %. Majority of the respondents were teenagers and 151 (18.1%) being parents. Findings from the study revealed that teenage pregnancy significantly impacted school enrollment, that a significant percentage of teenagers are pregnant before 15, lack of education of parents and teenagers increased the probability of teenage pregnancy, poverty and drug abuse increased the likelihood of teenage pregnancy while teenager mothers 61.2 percent likely to withdraw from school because of the financial obligations of being a mother. In addition, the study makes a number of recommendations which include; sensitization programs should be initiated by relevant bodies to educate the populace on the impact of teenage pregnancies, Policies that facilitate better health care services for teenagers should be deployed by government and non-government organizations, Government and non-governmental organizations should make contraceptive services easily accessible and affordable, School-based daycare facilities should be provided for soon to be/already teenage parents, Psychological help should be provided to students in secondary to help them deal with pressures of peers and societal stigmatization.
Keywords: Education, Nigeria, Teenage Pregnancy.
The Effect of Corruption on the Educational System in Nigeria (Published)
Corruption universally plagues societies and its impact has disastrous effects on national development. It has been established by scholars that no sector is Immune from the fangs of corruption. Corruption however varies; across societies and countries but globally its impact on the educational sector undermines the national advancement of any country. In the Nigerian context, corruption has deep roots in the fabrics of the society, impacting virtually every aspect of the Nigerian economy. Scholars have highlighted the impeding impact on the technological, political, moral development of the country. In the educational sector, it causes infrastructural insufficiencies which leads to poor educational delivery and inaccessibility to education while impacting the empowerment of citizens within the society. This has left the citizens feeling frustrated, disgruntled and disenchanted and possibly inducing the rise in insurgency, kidnapping and militancy in the country. As such, the need to mitigate and tackle the growing trend of corruption in the educational sector because of impact on manpower and national development. The research makes a number of recommendations which include that; Accountability and transparency should be sensitized and imposed on every aspect of the Nigerian society in such a way those public officer holders, contractors, tutors and stakeholders view transparency and accountability as key aspects of carrying out projects and serving the people. Sensitization on the dangerous impact of corruption on education should be carried out by non-governmental agencies and religious bodies. An effective and reliable financial management system should be established to control and monitor the use of educational resources and supervision of programmes and projects embarked in the educational sector to mention but a few.
Keywords: Corruption, Education, educational development