Educational Resource Deprivation and Its Effect on Access to and Quality Basic Education in Ghana

Abstract

ABSTRACT Basic schools in Ghana continue to contend with inadequate educational resources. This demands that the scarce educational resources available are deployed efficiently and effectively. This study, therefore, sought to develop an educational resource deprivation index, by simulating the Alkire-Foster Method for Multi-dimensional Poverty Index (MPI) termed the Multidimensional Educational Resource Deprivation Index (MERDI) to measure the extent of resource deprivation in Basic Schools in Ghana. It additionally evaluated the performance and importance of the indicators of the MERDI. Finally, the study examined the effect of the indicators of the MERDI on quality and access to education. The MERDI was developed using data from the Annual School Census (ASC Data) (2015/16 to 2018/19) to appreciate the trend in the distribution of education resources. Also, the Importance-Performance Map Analysis was carried out using the 2018/19 Education Census Data, while panel data analysis was used to estimate the effect of the variables of the MERDI on quality and access to Basic Education using the ASC data and BECE pass rate (2015/16 to 2018/19). The study revealed that the extent of educational resource deprivation has improved from 45.1% in 2015/16 to 35.4% in 2018/19 with higher regional disparities. The incidence has also improved from 83.6% to 77.9% while the intensity of the deprivation in Ghanaian basic schools changed from 49.6% to 46.7% with the northern sector of the country, especially the Brong Ahafo Region recording the highest levels of deprivation. Most public basic schools are more deprived as compared to private basic schools. Again, Textbooks (SFR6), Library books (SFR4), Teacher-Pupil Ratio (HR3), and Teacher Quality (HR2) depict higher performance and priority in influencing the MERDI. Moreover, the extent of educational resource deprivation affects the quality and access to basic education. The study recommends the adoption of the MERDI as a guiding index in the distribution of educational resources in Ghana.