Teacher quality as a determinant of pupils’ academic performance in religious and moral education: a survey

Abstract

The study examined the relationship between teacher quality and pupils’ performance in RME in basic schools in the Ga-South Municipality. The correlational research design was adopted for the study. Through the use of cluster sampling, multi-stage sampling and proportional allocation of sample size as well as the purposive sampling procedure, 159 basic schools and 532 respondents consisting of 357 pupils and 175 RME teachers were selected to participate in the study respectively. The questionnaire, observation guide and a standardised-achievementtest were used to gather the requisite data for the study. The data were analysed through the computation of descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages, mean of means distributions and correlation. The study among other things found out that RME teachers possess adequate knowledge about the use of technology or instructional resources. However, there was a weak positive correlation between teachers’ technological knowledge and pupils’ academic performance. Again, RME teachers possess adequate knowledge about the use of pedagogy and content, however, there was a weak positive correlation between teachers’ content knowledge and pupils’ academic performance. The study recommended that circuit supervisors should visit remote schools to observe for themselves if teachers are always at post. The Ministry of Education, Ghana Education Service and Curriculum Research and Development Division (CRDD) should organise in-service training for teachers on contemporary pedagogies and the appropriate use of instructional resources for the teaching of RME.