Abstract:
The study evaluated the quality of Junior High School (JHS) education in the
Central Region of Ghana using context, input, process and product (CIPP)
model by Stufflebeam (1971). Descriptive survey design was employed in the
conduct of the study. The target population for this study was made up of
public and private JHSs in all the 20 Metropolitan/Municipal/District
Assemblies in the Central Region. Proportionate stratified random sampling
was employed. In all, the participants for the study were made up of 1,260;
378 JHS three teachers, 756 pupils and 126 head teachers. Questionnaire and
performance data sheet were used for data gathering. Descriptive and
inferential statistics were employed in analysing the data. It was found that
urban schools had class sizes larger than the recommended class size by GES,
Ghana. Similarly, private schools had larger class sizes than the public
schools. Also, textbook pupil ratio was better in urban schools and private
schools as well for English, Mathematics and Integrated Science. In addition,
other input factors were present in urban schools to a greater extent; these
factors were poor for rural schools for teaching of core-subjects. Private
schools reported the availability of other process factors than public schools.
Mediation analysis revealed that process factors significantly mediated the
relationship between input factors and output factors. The multi group analysis
revealed a statistically significant difference between the indirect effect for the
urban and rural schools. It was therefore, recommended that Ghana Education
Service should provide sufficient infrastructure for the basic schools in Ghana.
Also, parents of pupils in Basic schools in Ghana are encouraged to involve
themselves in their wards’ education.
