Ghana Journal of Education: Issues and Practice (GJE)

Critical Elements in Teacher Candidates’ Success in Teacher Licensure examinations: Some Insights from Ghana

Evans Kofi Hokor — 2024-12-01

Teacher licensure examinations serve as a crucial gateway to the teaching profession, yet the factors influencing success in these exams remain underexplored in the Ghanaian context. This study investigated the impact of graduation class, gender, and institution type on teacher licensure examination outcomes using binary logistic regression analysis on secondary data from Ghana National Teaching Council on 507 randomly selected teacher candidates. The findings revealed that both graduation class and gender significantly predicted examination success, with lower graduation class obtained increasing the likelihood of failure and male candidates outperforming their female counterparts. However, the type of institution where candidates received their training did not significantly influence pass rates. These findings highlight the need for targeted interventions to support at-risk candidates, particularly those with weaker academic backgrounds and female candidates. The study contributes to the growing body of research on teacher licensure and provides insights for policymakers and teacher education institutions seeking to enhance teacher preparation and licensure outcomes in Ghana.

Study Habit and Mathematics Anxiety of Secondary School Students in Ogun West Senatorial District, Nigeria

Asikhia Olubusayo Aduke — 2024-12-01

Mathematics is a core subject in Nigeria and most countries of the world. However, one of the attributed causes of poor performance in mathematics is mathematics anxiety. Hence, this study focused on the influence of study habit on the mathematics anxiety of senior secondary school students in Ogun West Senatorial District, Nigeria. The Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale-revised (MARS-R) of Plake and Perker (1982) and the Study Habit Inventory of Bakare (1977) were used as instruments for the study. Data collected were statistically tested at 0.05 level of significance. The analysis of covariance and t-test were used to analyse data. Results revealed that although there was no significant difference in the effect of different categories of study habit (low moderate and high) on students’ mathematics anxiety, a significant relationship exists between study habit and mathematics anxiety of students in Ogun West Senatorial District.. The study also revealed that students with high study habit had more mathematics anxiety than those with medium and low study habits respectively. In this regard, the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) should include study habit techniques in the secondary school curriculum. Teachers and counselors should also be more proactive in guiding students to cultivate effective study habits so that their mathematical abilities can be enhanced

Pre-Service Science Teachers’ Awareness of their Critical Thinking Abilities

Kofi Acheaw Owusu — 2024-12-01

Critical thinking, a core 21^st century skill, is needed to effectively explore, analyse, and evaluate problems to be able to find sustainable solutions. Hence, the advocacy for its inclusion in school curricula as part of learning outcomes for students with the universal belief that it fosters academic success. This means teachers should possess the ability to develop critical thinking skills in their students. Thus, teacher education programmes should prepare prospective teachers to acquire the skill to enable them to develop same in their future students. Therefore, this study explored prospective science teachers' awareness of their critical thinking abilities through a survey in a Ghanaian university. The results showed that pre-service science teachers had high levels of awareness of their critical thinking abilities. Although no gender differences were found in the pre-service science teachers' awareness of their critical thinking abilities, the final year students had high levels of awareness as compared to the other students. It was concluded that awareness of critical thinking abilities is ultimately influenced by the university course units earned. Teacher education programmes should consciously develop critical thinking skills among students throughout the programme.

“To be or not To be?” Reasons for Engaging in Commercial Sex Work in the Cape Coast Metropolis, Ghana

Kwame W. Nkrumah — 2024-12-01

The practice of commercial sex work exists in many parts of Ghana. However, research is scanty on its nature and its associated activities. This study was designed to examine the reasons why commercial sex workers in the Cape Coast Metropolis of Ghana choose to venture into the sex business. Using a nested concurrent mixed method design, a sample of 364 participants (356 commercial sex workers and eight key persons) were reached for the study. A questionnaire and an interview guide were used to collect data for the study. Frequencies, percentages, and thematic analysis were used to analyze the data. The study found that most of the respondents ventured into the practice due to the socio-economic challenges confronting them and the need to make money to resolve those challenges. The study concluded that the commercial sex business in the study area is a thriving one because it is a business which does not demand any technical know-how or specialized skills and competencies to get engaged in. Furthermore, institutionalized systems and mechanisms, particularly enforcement of laws and regulations banning the practice were found to be woefully inadequate. The study recommended that key stakeholder institutions such as the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development, the Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly, and Oguaa Traditional Council jointly formulate and operationalize interventional schemes and educational programmes to help effectively mitigate the practice.

Effect of Big Five Personality Types on Students Learning Outcomes among Senior Secondary Schools in Edo State, Nigeria

Yvonne Ododo Osunde — 2024-12-01

This study researched the relationship between personality type and learning outcomes among senior secondary school students in Edo State, Nigeria. It sought to show how each of the big five personality dimensions of Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Introversion would predict cognitive, psychomotor, and affective learning outcomes. This was a quantitative study. The design used was a survey involving 117 secondary school students and 16 teachers. The main instrument used was a questionnaire. Multiple regressions were performed when analyzing the collected work. Results showed that openness to experience, extraversion, introversion are significantly positively associated with cognitive and affective learning outcomes, while conscientiousness is significantly negatively related to cognitive learning outcome, and agreeableness is significantly negatively related to the cognitive learning outcome but is not significantly related to psychomotor and affective outcomes. These results appear to support the findings that personality types do make a remarkable difference in the reasons for the learning outcomes among secondary school students. Educators and policymakers need to consider directing their programmes toward personality-related interventions, including personality tests for the students, as these may play a role in enhancing the student learning outcomes. Personalized learning approaches should be provided based on the student's personality type, and self-awareness about personality weaknesses and strengths. Future research should find out how the longitudinal effects of personality on the learning outcome could be influenced by personality in terms of some subjects or skills.

Corporate Governance as a Tool for Effective School Management in Senior High Schools in Ghana

Justice Ray Achoanya Ayam — 2024-12-01

This study enriched the discourse on improving governance practices in Ghana’s Senior High Schools (SHSs) by promoting transparency, accountability, and efficiency in school management. It examined the state of Corporate Governance (CG) within SHSs, identified key challenges, and proposed strategic interventions. A qualitative research design was adopted, involving a review of policy documents, academic literature, and semi-structured interviews with stakeholders from four senior SHSs across the Greater Accra, Ashanti, and Northern Regions. Participants included headmasters, assistant headmasters, and officials from the Ghana Education Service and the Public Services Commission. Purposeful sampling guided case selection. The findings revealed significant deficiencies such as outdated CG regulations, ambiguous board oversight roles, weak disclosure practices, and limited stakeholder engagement. Recommended interventions included strengthening regulatory frameworks, promoting participatory governance, and implementing capacity-building initiatives. These measures aimed to enhance governance efficiency, financial transparency, and institutional accountability. The study contributed to the broader conversation on governance reform in Ghana’s education sector and underscored the importance of sound governance in achieving sustainable school management and institutional excellence.