Vol. 2 No. 1 (2023): Strengthening Educational Research for Innovation

The Ghana Journal of Education and Teaching (GHAJET) is an open-access journal publishing evidence-based peer-reviewed research articles concerning all aspects of education and teaching. It is published by the Institute of Educational Research and Innovation Studies (IERIS), University of Education, Winneba (UEW).  This is the second volume in the series. In this volume, there are six articles covering basic school head teachers’ leadership style and learning outcomes, assessing free senior high school policy in Ghana, language policy in Ghana, Inquiry-based learning methods for teaching social studies in Ghana, teachers’ job performance in the public secondary in Taraba State, Nigeria, and the pedagogy in teaching social studies in Ghana. A summary of each article is presented below by the Editor.

The first article expands knowledge on the leadership practices on students' learning outcomes among basic school students in six districts/municipalities in Ghana. Concurrent mixed methods were used to collect and analyse data from students and teachers. The findings of the study show that teachers’ perceptions of the leadership styles of heads were generally positive and had no negative impact on students’ academic performance.

The second article assesses the free senior high school implementation programme using interviews and an observation checklist in the Central and Greater Accra regions in Ghana. The findings show that the removal of cost barriers through the absorption of fees approved by the GES council and recurrent fee items were some of the benefits associated with the policy. Despite the gains, some of the challenges that students and teachers are confronted with include infrastructure, inadequate logistics, less supervision, compromising students’ assessment and delays in the supply of teaching and learning materials. The study recommends that there should be a partnership between the government and other agencies to help improve the free senior high school policy in Ghana.

Language is a crucial component of education in every society. Ghana has had several language policies since the colonial era, but it has been challenging to legislate language use in schools, particularly after independence. This has been approached differently by various governments, leading to frequent changes and weak language policy legislation. Therefore, the government must demonstrate a strong will to address the issue and implement a language policy.

Inquiry-based learning is a teaching method that encourages students to become active learners by asking questions, investigating and analyzing information, and drawing conclusions. This method has shifted Social Studies instruction from a teacher-centred approach to a learner-centred approach, which encourages students to construct their knowledge and ideas about contemporary persistent problems of society. A descriptive survey design was used to examine the practical gaps in the possession of inquiry-based skills and usage among Social Studies teachers in the Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese District of Ghana. The study's findings revealed the existence of knowledge and practical gaps in the possession of inquiry-based skills and usage among Social Studies teachers in the Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese District of Ghana.  Based on the findings, there should be in-service training for Junior High Schools Social Studies teachers to bridge the identified theoretical and practical gap.

The impact of the conditions of service on teachers’ job performance in the public secondary schools in the Wukari education zone in Taraba State, Nigeria was also examined. The ex-post facto survey research design was adopted for the study. The population of this study consisted of all principals and teachers in all the two local government areas under the Wukari Education Zone, namely: Ibbi and Wukari, with a total of 28 public secondary schools, and a teacher strength of 462. The result of the study revealed that teachers are the least-paid civil servants in the State, they are not promoted as and when due, promotions are not implemented, and salaries are not paid promptly; all these negatively affect their performance. It is therefore recommended that the State government should develop a consolidated salary structure for teachers, pay them promptly and promote and implement their promotion as and when due to enhance their job performance.

The last paper examined social studies pedagogy in Ghanaian Senior High Schools (GSHSs) using related empirical secondary literature. The findings of the study showed myriad factors such as the inquiry method, discussion method, project method, field trip, lecture method, problem-based approach, role play, simulations, resource persons and team-teaching approaches as the pedagogical approaches which are more responsive to the teaching and learning of social studies. Based on the results, it is therefore recommended that different approaches and methods should be employed to teach social studies. 

The findings of these studies are very relevant for policy recommendations to improve education.