https://journals.uew.edu.gh/index.php/ijeccer <p><strong>T</strong><strong>he International Journal for Early Childhood and Educational Research</strong><strong> </strong>focuses on the publication of Empirical and position papers in Early Childhood Education, Basic education and other related areas of study. The Journal is under the auspices of the Department of Early Childhood Education.</p> <p class="p1">The Journal publishes high quality manuscripts of international standard. Papers admitted to this journal must be original and of quality that would meet international interest. Manuscripts admitted to this journal are subject to peer and blind review process; involving an international panel of researchers who are experts in relevant fields. The journal is published in both print and online editions.</p> <p class="p1">ISSN NUMBER: 3057-353X</p> en-US msubbey@uew.edu.gh (Michael Subbey, Ph.D) boakyeagyeman@uew.edu.gh (Boakye Agyeman) Fri, 27 Jun 2025 19:44:46 +0000 OJS 3.2.1.0 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 60 https://journals.uew.edu.gh/index.php/ijeccer/article/view/434 This research investigates the impact of school environments on academic performance in Ghanaian public and private senior high schools. Using quantitative methods, data from 190 students was collected through structured surveys that addressed physical infrastructure, social dynamics, and institutional support. Stratified random sampling ensured balanced representation from Life International School (private) and Tema Methodist Day Senior High School (public). Analysis through multiple regression and t-tests revealed significant relationships between environmental factors and academic outcomes. Both physical and social aspects of school settings substantially impact student achievement. Key factors include classroom maintenance, organised learning spaces, and teacher-student interactions. Despite private school students holding more positive perceptions of their learning environments, no significant difference in academic performance was found between public and private institutions, suggesting that factors beyond facilities, such as teaching quality and student motivation, play crucial roles. The findings underscore the need to improve public school infrastructure, foster stronger teacher-student relationships, and establish support systems to alleviate student anxiety and boost academic motivation. Results underscore the importance of nurturing educational atmospheres that foster achievement across both public and private schools. Adjei Aaron, Kagbetor Evans Kwashie, Leticia Akoto-Adipah Copyright (c) 2025 International Journal for Early Childhood and Educational Research https://journals.uew.edu.gh/index.php/ijeccer/article/view/434 Fri, 27 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://journals.uew.edu.gh/index.php/ijeccer/article/view/435 Adolescent drug use represents a significant public health concern. Peer relationships substantially influence drug use initiation and maintenance. This research investigates the connection between peer dynamics and substance use among secondary school students in Accra, with particular attention to substance types, vulnerability factors, and students' management strategies. The research design followed qualitative phenomenological principles, gathering data through in-depth interviews with twenty students (8 males and 12 females) between fourteen and nineteen years old from a pair of senior secondary institutions. Participant selection followed purposive and snowball sampling methods. Thematic analysis identified patterns in substance use behaviours, peer influence, and coping mechanisms. Findings revealed widespread drug use among students. Cannabis-infused confectioneries (weed toffees), energy drinks, alcohol (Panache), and tramadol emerged as commonly abused substances. Peer pressure constitutes a significant factor, with students using drugs to gain acceptance within social groups. Some of the participants endeavour to withstand negative influences by seeking guidance from counsellors or deliberately avoiding classmates known for substance use; nevertheless, many find such resistance challenging within the complex social hierarchies that characterise secondary education environments. The evidence from this study points toward an urgent need for educational interventions that simultaneously target personal decision-making and the wider social ecosystem surrounding adolescents. Academic institutions should develop student-led awareness initiatives, enhance psychological support frameworks, and institute more rigorous substance regulations. Broader community participation proves indispensable in curtailing youth substance misuse and mitigating its enduring impacts on development and well-being. Adjei Aaron, Kagbetor Evans Kwashie, Daniel Amankwa- Adu Copyright (c) 2025 International Journal for Early Childhood and Educational Research https://journals.uew.edu.gh/index.php/ijeccer/article/view/435 Fri, 27 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://journals.uew.edu.gh/index.php/ijeccer/article/view/436 Unprecedented teenage access to modern technology and digital deficiencies among parents has generated numerous vices caused by digital misuse. Digital misuses ranging from internet slangs, excessive video game usage to internet fraud that eventually culminate to e-cheating is gradually in vogue. In a bid to check these digital excesses, this study sought to explore the relationship and perception of parents to digital misuse of digital internet devices possible educational defects. The research design adopted was a descriptive survey research design, a questionnaire through stratified random was administered on one hundred and twenty respondents. Data was analyzed through Multiple Regression and finding revealed that digital misuse has several educational defects. Consequently, the digital gap between the parents and teenagers is pronounced, as most parents are dormant in learning and updating knowledge and skills of using the Internet. While the teenagers regularly update their skills online. The need for massive sensitization and mechanism to curb digital misuse was recommended. Digitally, parents should be trained to acquire contemporary skills needed in checking and curbing digital misuse among teenagers. This will help to ameliorate digital misuse from gradually eroding Nigeria educational and social values. Sunday Olufemi Oyeyemi, Victoria Iyabo Aremu, Joel Famadewa Ademola, Gideon Adjerakor Justice Copyright (c) 2025 International Journal for Early Childhood and Educational Research https://journals.uew.edu.gh/index.php/ijeccer/article/view/436 Fri, 27 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://journals.uew.edu.gh/index.php/ijeccer/article/view/437 The study explored stakeholders’ perspectives and experiences on promoting equal learner support in distance learning in Distance Teaching Universities in Central Region, Ghana. Qualitatively, the study adopted a multi-site case study approach based on constructivist epistemology using multiple sources of qualitative data collection namely, semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and documents that addressed learner support in distance teaching universities. Respondents for the study were selected from within the case institutions using a stratified sampling technique. The stratification involved different categories of the university staff and students namely distance education students’ leaders, senior-level administrators, faculty members involved in distance education, and senior members (management) from the College for Distance and eLearning and College of Distance Education. This selection method was used to obtain information from 21 purposively selected key informants (principal officers) from both universities. Interview data and focus group discussion were analysed thematically and augmented with documents. The study found among others that access to promoting equal learner support is challenging as learner support in distance learning was largely unmet. The study recommends Distance Teaching Universities to ensure the provision of equal opportunities that relate to equal learner support on the basis of policy of non-discrimination regardless of the location of learners and programme. Joseph Harry Otoo, Francis Owusu-Mensah, Fredrick Kwaku Sarfo Copyright (c) 2025 International Journal for Early Childhood and Educational Research https://journals.uew.edu.gh/index.php/ijeccer/article/view/437 Fri, 27 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://journals.uew.edu.gh/index.php/ijeccer/article/view/438 Handwriting plays an important role in academic progression and personal development. Handwriting challenges among primary school children are widespread and well-documented. Handwriting instruction has become a relegated phase of the learning process in many Ghanaian basic schools. The study assesses the prevalence of handwriting difficulties among basic school pupils in selected public schools in the Oforikrom Municipality in the Ashanti Region. The study employed a cross-sectional design using a standardized handwriting assessment tool, the pupil's Handwriting Assessment Rubric. Pupils’ handwriting was assessed based on eight handwriting descriptors: letter formation, placement, letter sizing, spacing of letters, legibility, speed, neatness, and spacing of words. Each descriptor was scored on a 5-point scale with 5 representing the highest score. The study found a high prevalence of handwriting difficulties among the pupils; scores indicated that 11 pupils, representing 2.2%, had Very Poor, 89 representing 18.9% had Poor, 242 representing 50.6% had Average, 112 representing 23.6% had Good and 22 pupils representing 4.6% had Very good handwriting. This implies that the pupils' handwriting scores are considered Average. The study also indicated a significant difference in letter formation, legibility, and speed, with girls scoring higher than boys. Considering the high prevalence of handwriting difficulties and their consequences, policymakers must integrate comprehensive handwriting instruction across the curriculum of basic schools. Teachers, parents, clinicians, and other stakeholders should also watch for early signs of difficulties and offer remediation to mitigate its long-term academic and social consequences. Adolph Hilary Agbo, Lucy Afeafa Ry-Kottoh, Francis Nimo Nunoo, Michael Ato Essuman, Ampofo Twene Copyright (c) 2025 International Journal for Early Childhood and Educational Research https://journals.uew.edu.gh/index.php/ijeccer/article/view/438 Fri, 27 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://journals.uew.edu.gh/index.php/ijeccer/article/view/439 The advent of cognitive linguistics has resulted in a change in the way people previously perceived metaphor as purely a linguistic device. Metaphor is now studied as a cognitive instrument that shapes our language, thought and action (Lakoff & Johnson, 1980; Kovecses, 2002). Native speakers of a language employ metaphors to express abstract concepts of emotions. This paper does a study of the happiness and sadness metaphors in English and Fante, a dialect of the Akan language spoken in Ghana. It is underpinned by Lakoff and Johnsons’ (1980) Conceptual Metaphor Theory which is adopted as the framework for analysis. The study found that the two languages share some similarities with regard to the use of conceptual metaphors such as happiness is a fluid in a container, happiness is being off the ground, sadness is a fluid in a container and sadness is an object. The differences in the use of these conceptual metaphors are very minimal and can be ascribed to the different cultural practices that are prevalent in the two languages. The study recommends that teachers of language integrate metaphor awareness into their curriculum to help learners have a better understanding of metaphorical expressions to improve their communication skills. Additionally, there should be an expansion of studies on conceptual metaphors to cover more Ghanaian and African languages to enrich cognitive linguistic theory. Ebenezer Ghampson Copyright (c) 2025 International Journal for Early Childhood and Educational Research https://journals.uew.edu.gh/index.php/ijeccer/article/view/439 Fri, 27 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://journals.uew.edu.gh/index.php/ijeccer/article/view/440 The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of tracing activities in improving Basic Three (3) pupils’ writing skills at E.P. Primary School in the Tamale Metropolis, Northern Region, Ghana. An experimental research design was used. Pre-intervention, intervention, and post-intervention stages were employed to assess pupils’ handwriting skills. The population was seventy-two (72), and thirty-seven (37) pupils were randomly selected for the study. A pre-intervention test diagnosed the extent of the problem, identifying strengths and weaknesses to inform interventions. A post-test was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of tracing activities in enhancing writing skills. A simple percentage count was used to analyze the results. Findings revealed that 31 out of 37 pupils failed to score the pass mark of 15 out of 30 in the pre-intervention test. However, after the intervention, 29 pupils achieved 15 or more in the post-test. This demonstrates significant improvement in writing abilities among Basic Three pupils at E.P. Primary School following the implementation of tracing activities. The pupils' performance in the post-test further confirmed the intervention's effectiveness. Ibrahim Abdul-Soaboor, Awal Wafaau Dipantiche, Allnice Yao Gbemu Copyright (c) 2025 International Journal for Early Childhood and Educational Research https://journals.uew.edu.gh/index.php/ijeccer/article/view/440 Fri, 27 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://journals.uew.edu.gh/index.php/ijeccer/article/view/441 This study examined the research dimension of the story of Job in the Bible on the premise that it derived from a scientific inquiry. The story portrays Job as an upright man who suffered misfortune through no fault of his; struggled to maintain his integrity throughout his suffering and finally restored beyond his former state. This study, thus, delineated the research features of the story of Job and discussed implications for theory, practice and teaching of research methods. This was a documentary research which employed document analysis to analyze and interpret selected texts with scholarly arguments and reported from an educational researcher’s perspective and contextualization within the research paradigms of modern era. The study revealed sixteen (16) salient features that confirm the story derived from an inquiry; an A-B-A-B Single-n design; God’s positivist research perspective and the hint from the conclusion that Satan is a reformed half-nihilist. Nixon Saba Adzifome Copyright (c) 2025 International Journal for Early Childhood and Educational Research https://journals.uew.edu.gh/index.php/ijeccer/article/view/441 Fri, 27 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://journals.uew.edu.gh/index.php/ijeccer/article/view/442 The safeguarding of children's rights has emerged as a global concern. The concept of child rights protection significantly differs based on the prevailing environmental, socio-economic, socio-cultural, and political situations. This paper uses a qualitative case study research design to examine the challenges to safeguarding child rights in Ghana's fishing communities, specifically in the Ketu South District. The target population included various stakeholders responsible for safeguarding children's rights in the Ketu South District of the Volta Region in Ghana. Eighteen (18) participants were selected based on their availability and willingness to engage in the study. The acquired data was analysed thematically. The research illustrates that the safeguarding of children's rights in the designated area has been obstructed by climate change and its associated phenomena, poverty, physical punishment, and sociocultural practices. The paper recommends a multisectoral approach to tackle societal perceptions of children's safety, poverty, and cultural norms and practices that hinder the protection of children's rights in the study location and other associated fishing communities in Ghana. Harrison Kwame Golo Copyright (c) 2025 International Journal for Early Childhood and Educational Research https://journals.uew.edu.gh/index.php/ijeccer/article/view/442 Fri, 27 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000