An Evaluation of the Implementation of the Ghanaian Language and Culture Curriculum in Senior High Schools in the Kumasi Metropolis

Abstract

Taking into consideration Ghanaian Language students‟ academic performance over the years, the study was purported to evaluate the implementation of the Ghanaian Language and Culture Curriculum in Senior High Schools in the Kumasi metropolis. The study was guided by four research objectives–context of the implementation of the Ghanaian Language and Culture Curriculum, input, process and perceived effectiveness of the GHLC. The study was deeply rooted into Stufflebeam‟s Context, Input, Process and Product model for curriculum evaluation. Through the lens of pragmatism, the study adopted the mixed methods research approach to evaluate the implementation of the curriculum. A multi-stage sampling framework which included census for 41 teachers, proportionate simple random sampling for 322 students and convenience sampling for observing 15 teachers in lessons was used. The findings of the study indicated that the objectives outlined in the curriculum are structured to equip students with language skills, even though the difficult of topics do not match the duration of the curriculum. The findings reflected the inadequacy of instructional materials in Ghanaian Language instruction while it also indicated discussion, lecture and questions and answers as the most used instructional strategies in teaching. Based on the findings, the study recommended for a curriculum that considers its time duration to match the difficulty of its contents. Again, it advocates for teachers to use more advanced methods of teaching and instructional resources considering language learning in 21st century.