Basic Educational Attainment of Foster Children in the Tamale Metropolis of the Northern Region of Ghana (Published)

Fostering is a common practice in many parts of the Northern Region of Ghana. It is a socio-cultural and economic barrier to many foster children in the Tamale Metropolis. The paper investigates the educational attainments of foster children, consequences, and challenges that are associated with the practice in the Tamale Metropolis of the Northern Region of Ghana. A cross-sectional design was used as well as probability and non-probability sampling techniques. Qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection were also used. In addition, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions were used for the primary data while the secondary data were sourced from the internet, publish articles, and relevant textbooks. The results showed that foster children were enrolled in school against few who were not enrolled and also there were regular school attendances by foster children in the metropolis.  Absenteeism was low therefore most foster children even though punctual to school many were always late to school. They were good in terms of class attendance but were not performing well in class as compared with non-foster children and the reasons were that they were overburdened with household chores, inadequate educational learning materials at home late payment of fees, discrimination against them in terms of wich child should be sent to school, abuse and also inadequate freedom to recreate and also socialize with their peers at home.Should this practice therefore be stop in the metropolis?  Fostering remains inimical to educational attainments of children in terms of their performance in school in the Tamale Metropolis despite signs of good school enrollment and attendance, there is the need for effective policy implementation and sensitization against the engagement of foster children in many household chores that significantly affects their studies both in schools and at home.

Citation: Eliasu Alhassan, Grace Monto Bawa & Mahama S. Sayibu (2022) Basic Educational Attainment of Foster Children in the Tamale Metropolis of the Northern Region of Ghana, International Journal of Education, Learning and Development, Vol. 10, No.6, pp.54-78

Keywords: Attendance, Education, enrolment, family, foster mothers, fostering

Why do early childhood education enrolment rates appear to remain stagnant in Saudi Arabia? (Published)

This report aims to analyze the importance of Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Saudi Arabia and why the enrolment rates of children at this age have not been growing and remain significantly low as opposed to other countries around the world.  This report discusses why Saudi Arabia continues to struggle with and has not been able to recognize and encompass ECE as a vital stage to begin learning. I looked into Saudi Arabia’s ECE past and present enrolment rates and the current vision for ECE based on the Saudi Vision 2030. In addition, I compared Saudi Arabia’s governance and access to ECE and pre-service education and recruitment policies for ECE educators with the UK.  Furthermore, I highlighted the implications of not taking advantage of ECE services on global assessments at later stages of learning based on secondary source data from these internationally recognized assessments – Trends in International Maths and Science Study (TIMMS), The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) and Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).  The evidence gathered in this report portrays that Saudi Arabia should modify their ECE policies and framework to achieve its Saudi Vision 2030 goals.  It also reviews the UK’s ECE policies, which Saudi Arabia can consider using as a model to reform its policies and increase their enrolment rate at this stage.

Keywords: Early Childhood Education, Saudi Arabia, Teaching, Vision 2030, enrolment, preschool education