International Journal of Psychology and Education

Steering the Ship during Ghana’s Education Reform: School Leadership in Fostering Organizational Commitment in Public Basic Schools

Nelson AMPONSAH — 2024-11-01

Teachers play vital roles in the implementation of education reforms. Therefore, it is essential to identify factors that enhance their commitment to their schools. The study examined headteachers’ leadership styles as predictors of teacher commitment in public basic schools in Ghana. The ‘full-range leadership theory’ developed by Bass and Avolio (1995) and the ‘organizational commitment model’ postulated by Meyer and Allen (1991) served as theoretical framework for the study. The study employed the explanatory sequential mixed methods research design by collecting both quantitative and qualitative data. A multistage sampling was used to select 256 headteachers and their teachers from public basic schools in Ghana. Data was collected using an adapted version of Bass and Avolio’s (1995) Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire, Meyer and Allen’s (1991) Organizational Commitment Questionnaire, and a self-constructed semi-structured interview guide. Quantitative data was analysed using multiple linear regression with the aid of SPSS version 26.0 whilst qualitative data was analysed through content analysis. The study revealed that leadership styles predicted 22% of teacher commitment. Besides, transactional leadership style made the highest and statistically significant unique contribution to the prediction of teacher commitment (?=0.27, p<0.05) than transformational (?=0.23, p<0.05) and laissez-faire (?=0.13, p<0.05) leadership styles. It was recommended that the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service should organize in-service training for headteachers in the practice of the full range of leadership styles to boost teacher commitment levels of teachers to retain teachers in the public basic schools in Ghana.

Relationship between Leadership Practices of Headteachers and Learners’ Academic Achievement in the Public Basic Schools in Asokwa Municipality

Elsie Grace KPODOMA — 2024-11-01

The purpose of the study was to examine the leadership practices of headteachers and their relationship with learners’ academic achievement in the Asokwa Municipality. The study was grounded in the positivist paradigm linked to the quantitative research approach. Specifically, the study employed a descriptive survey design. The sample for the study was 311, comprising 22 headteachers and 289 teachers. Guided by a census frame, all the headteachers were involved in the study, while a proportionate stratified random sampling technique was employed to sample the teachers. A structured questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data, analysed with the aid of the Statistical Package for Service Solution (SPSS) version 28. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics, including mean, standard deviation, and frequencies as well as inferential statistics such as Pearson Product Moment correlation. The study established that the headteachers highly practised all the leadership in the Path-goal leadership theory (supportive directive, participative, and achievement-oriented leadership). However, the findings suggested that the headteachers practised supportive leadership mostly, followed by directive leadership, and participative leadership, while achievement-oriented leadership was least practised among the headteachers. Therefore, the study recommended that the Asokwa Municipal Education Directorate of the Ghana Education Service should organise in-service training programmes on the effective application of the Path-Goal leadership theory for the headteachers to enable them to enhance the academic achievement of the learners.

Perceived Influence of the Growing Inflation on Undergraduate Students’ Learning Processes in Universities in Kwara State, Nigeria

ABDULAZIZ Isiaka — 2024-11-01

Inflation is an inevitable property of any nation that affects all sectors of the economy across board such as the rise in prices of valuable items for human survival, many affected undergraduates dropping out from the university system, mass failure, and death as a result of anger and starvation. This study adopted a descriptive survey research design. This study specifically explores undergraduates’ opinions on the perceived influence of the growing inflation on their learning process in universities, identify the causes of inflation as perceived by undergraduates in universities, identify possible solutions to ameliorate the impact of inflation on undergraduates’ learning processes in universities and determine the perceived influence of inflation on learning resources that enhance their learning processes based on school type in Kwara state. Three research questions were formulated and one hypothesis was postulated respectively. The population for this study comprised all undergraduates in universities in Kwara State, the target population were undergraduates of one private university, one state-owned university and one federal university that were purposively selected, all located in Kwara State. A simple random sampling technique was used to sample undergraduates (respondents) for this study. The results showed that students strongly agreed that inflation has an adverse influence on learning processes and that they need to enhance their learning activities in universities at Kwara State. Undergraduates also considered the increase in the cost of transportation, and persistent increase in the cost of food and wears as significant causes of inflation and providing alternative means of transportation, and investing in the production of competitive goods and services are the possible solutions of inflation identified by the students. The result also showed that F(2,197) = 1.009, p >.05. This study concluded that the undergraduates in public and private universities in Kwara State, Nigeria perceived inflation as having adverse effects on learning processes.

Influence of Domestic Violence on Senior Secondary School Students’ Career Choice in Kwara State, Nigeria

ABDULAZIZ Isiaka — 2024-11-01

This study investigated the influence of domestic violence on senior secondary school students’ career choice in Kwara State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study examined the level of domestic violence and career choice as experienced by the students. Two research questions were raised and one hypothesis was postulated. A descriptive survey type of research design was adopted. The population for this study comprised all senior secondary school students in Kwara State, Nigeria. Senior secondary schools were stratified into three senatorial districts and a senatorial district was randomly selected. 450 senior secondary school students formed the target population of which 300 and 150 students were proportionately sampled for public and private senior secondary schools respectively. The results showed that the majority of 82.0% of the secondary school students in the selected senatorial district of Kwara State experienced a moderate level of domestic violence. The result also showed that the level of career choice of the majority of 85.6% of senior secondary school students in Kwara State was high. There was a significant influence of domestic violence on students’ career choice, ?2 (n = 450) = 6.945, p < .05. This study concluded that domestic violence had an adverse influence on the career choice of secondary school students in Kwara State, Nigeria. It was therefore recommended among others there should be a sensitizing programme for young couples, parents and guardians on how to manage each other against domestic violence and its consequences on homes and students because students are leaders of tomorrow of our society.