Abstract:
The study examined the perceptions of beginning teacher’s mentor’s perception
about mentorship in basic schools in the Cape Coast Metropolis in the Central
Region of Ghana. The study employed a mixed method research approach and
descriptive survey as the study design. The study used census sampling
technique to accommodate all 50 teachers (25 beginning teachers and 25
mentors). Data collection was done using questionnaire for quantitative
response, which was analysed using SPSS 26.0 and interview guide for
qualitative response analysed using thematic analyses. The results of the study
shows that the nature of mentorship programme requires mentors to support
beginning teachers with teaching resource during teaching. The result also
shows that mentors mostly assess beginning teachers in the building of relation
with students and ability to use time judiciously. The information from
beginning teacher’s assessment was used mostly for recommendation purposes.
The majority challenge confronting mentors was their inability to assess
beginning teacher’s background knowledge and skills. While beginning
teachers reported that mentors make fun of them in ways they do not like. In
resolving the identified challenges, it was revealed that mentors need to be
motived. The study concluded that mentorship for beginning teachers was
helpful but mentors need to be motivated to be effective. The study
recommended that the management of Basic Schools must encourage mentors
to develop trusting relationship with their mentees.
