Ruth Donkoh

In Ghana, citizenship education aims to inculcate in pupils the behaviours, values and attitudes that enhance democracy and patriotism to produce efficient global citizens. However, Ghana is confronted with numerous social vices and atrocities due to pseudo-citizens who suppress the achievement of the country’s citizenship education objectives. Moreover, the reasons why citizenship education has not been able to achieve its objectives are unfounded. Using John Rawls’ theory for civic education, this study sought to identify the reasons for teaching citizenship education; assess if the teaching of citizenship education has achieved its objectives; identify the challenges that militate against the teaching of citizenship education; and identify the strategies that need to be adopted to improve the teaching of citizenship education. A triangulation mixed-methods approach was adopted. Quantitatively, 456 teachers from 72 schools participated in a questionnaire survey. Qualitatively, eight teachers participated in a semi-structured interview. In addition, there was a content analysis of the citizenship education syllabus objectives and the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) objectives. The results revealed that teaching citizenship education can help promote democracy and patriotism, but the objectives of teaching citizenship education are yet to be achieved. Moreover, challenges, such as a lack of trained teachers to teach citizenship education lessons and teaching-learning materials, militate against teaching citizenship education. However, it was found that providing specially trained teachers to teach citizenship education could salvage the situation. Moreover, it is recommended that the government, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), development partners, and volunteers should provide resources for the NCCE and institutions and assign specially trained teachers to teach citizenship education lessons in schools. Furthermore, the citizenship education syllabus needs to elaborate on the social vices in society to nurture citizens of noble character for posterity.

Although theories and processes of educational policymaking and planning are relevant in educational development, an assessment of them in Ghana revealed that they are boycotted; hence, the inability of educational developments to achieve their objectives. This article reports on a study that analysed the theories, and processes of educational policymaking and planning on the recent educational development in Ghana. From the findings, the article argues that the recognition of theories and approaches to policymaking and planning can help to bring sanity to the situation and overhaul Ghana’s educational system. This can be achieved by allowing educational stakeholders to do due diligence on their work in order to achieve their educational objectives.

Generally, research on educational management omits its impact on pupils’ academic performance in basic schools. This research fills this gap by assessing the effect of quality education management functions on the academic performance of pupils in government basic schools in Ghana. A questionnaire was used to obtain data from headteachers, teachers, pupils, and the Parents’ and Teacher Association, totalling 240 respondents from 15 schools in Accra-Ghana. The findings indicated that teachers’ effort has the highest impact on pupils’ academic performance among all the managerial function variables in the research. The research recommends that the Ghana government and educational stakeholders emulate Singapore’s system of teacher development, which has enabled them to achieve educational excellence acknowledged across the globe.

Youth unemployment has been a major concern for African governments in recent times. A factor that contributes to this is employers who have ridiculous hiring requirements that become an impediment for most applicants. Although the literature blames school leadership and the school environment as the main causes of graduate unemployment, there seems to be a paucity of literature on the actual causes of graduate unemployment and the reasons for their poor performance in the workforce. This study assesses the actual causes of graduate unemployment in Africa and suggests remedies to salvage the situation. It provides a content analysis of papers presented at conferences, magazines, books, reports, and existing literature on academic articles. This study discovered that graduates lack work experience, computer skills, soft skills, problem-solving skills, creativity, etc. and these are the key drivers of youth unemployment in Africa. The study recommends that graduates should undertake an internship or voluntary work to acquire work experience and learn soft skills such as courtesy, politeness, and good manners at the workplace. They should also learn how to use basic computer software packages, find mentors in the profession who will guide them on the job, pursue life-long learning education, have a back-up career, and learn presentation skills. These are the remedies that will prepare new graduates to find their dream job.

The persistent educational reforms and interventions in Ghana’s education system showcase the government’s ambition to make Ghana Education Service a first-class institution that guarantees the right to education for millions of Ghanaians and engenders the attainment of quality education (Sustainable Development Goal 4). This article shows how the Ghanaian government has provided free senior high school education, capitation grants, free lunch, personal protective equipment for all schools as a precautionary measure against COVID-19, and a new curriculum that includes complementary education for a sustainable educational system. Yet, it is interesting to note that the Ghanaian government continuously implements educational interventions without consideration for policies and implementation strategies to sustain them. This study implements textual analysis of some reviewed literature including articles, academic papers, magazines, books, and reports. It discovered that many educational reforms face great obstacles that mar the attainment of the reforms’ objectives because educational policies in Ghana are based on the incumbent president’s manifesto, causing policymaking in Ghana to suffer compromises and negotiations at the parliamentary level. This study suggests that educational policymaking in Ghana should be left in the custody of educational philosophers who are policymakers to separate it from political relationships (the politics-administration dichotomy) because politics and administration are inherently different. Also, teachers’ and principals’ professional development should be encouraged, and educational facilities and equipment should be provided to sustain educational development in Ghana.