Evaluation of the effectiveness of junior high school education in the Central Region of Ghana.

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.