ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Promoting Access to Higher Education in Ghana for Human Resource Development through Distance Learning

The idea of using Distance Education (DE) for human resource development is not new in Ghana. It was more vibrant about three decades ago with several unsuccessful attempts. However, the idea resurfaced strongly between 1991 and 1994 that led to the introduction of a number of DE initiatives in all public universities in Ghana. The government had a strong conviction that despite the earlier difficulties, DE was still a viable complement to conventional tertiary education as universities were not able to admit all qualified applicants due to insufficient facilities. The question now is whether this system of education has been able to adequately meet the challenge of providing quality higher education in Ghana. This paper specifically explores how far the University of Cape Coast distance learning programme also known as centre for continuing education has been able to fulfill its mandate. Data was gathered through the use of questionnaire and results were analyzed using simple frequency distribution. Findings indicated that the introduction of the University of Cape Coast Distance Education has widened access to higher education in Ghana.

Source: UCC
Promoting Citizenship Education through Social Studies Education: Perceptions of Teachers and Students in Selected Senior High Schools in the Central Region

The purpose of the study was to explore Senior High School teachers‟ and students‟ perception of the role Social Studies plays in promoting Citizenship Education. Cross-sectional descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. In all, 60 teachers and 400 students were selected for the study using the proportionate stratified random sampling. A 4-point Likert scale was used to collect data from the respondents. Means and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions and Mann Whitney U test was used to test the research hypothesis. The study revealed that Social Studies was perceived to play a major role in promoting Citizenship Education. There was no statistically significant difference in the perceptions of teachers and students on the role Social Studies plays in promoting Citizenship Education. The study also found out that teachers use learner centred approaches such as discussion method, inquiry method and role play method in teaching Social Studies. It was however revealed that teachers encounter challenges such as general unwillingness of students to take the subject serious, limited time allocated to the subject and syllabus overload. It was recommended that the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment should consider redesigning Senior High School Social Studies syllabus to reduce the content of the syllabus to allow more room for exploring the essential aspects of the subject. It was also recommended that the Ghana Education Service should give equal priority to the Social Studies subject just as they give to the other core subjects so students would attach equal importance to the subject.

Source: UCC
Promoting citizenship education through social studies: perspectives of students and tutors of colleges of education in Ghana

The purpose of the study was to examine the views of social studies tutors and students of selected Colleges of Education on how the teaching and learning of social studies could promote Citizenship Education. A sample of 20 tutors and 1000 final-year students were selected using census method from six Colleges of Education in the Eastern Region. Among the findings were: 1. Majority of the tutors and students understand citizenship as the exercise of rights and responsibilities, making informed decisions and taking thoughtful and responsible actions. 2. Majority of the tutors and students understand Citizenship Education as learning to be a good citizen now and having opportunities to exercise that citizenship as well as learning to be an effective citizen in future. 3. Majority of the tutors and students understand Social Studies as an integration of human relations for the purpose of Citizenship Education. 4. Most of the tutors and students think Social Studies can help to develop good citizens, by teaching and learning the subject through the inquiry approach and placing more emphasis on regions and culture. On the basis of the findings these recommendations were made. The Social Studies programme should be constantly reviewed to ensure that it is abreast of current social issues so that its products can operate to suit the trends of the day. Tutors should teach the subject to suit its integrated nature and this calls for tutors upgrading themselves, attending conferences, seminars and workshops to sharpen their knowledge base and pedagogical skills. The subject should be taught by using the inquiry approach.

Source: UCC
Promoting customer loyalty through corporate social responsibility: Evidence from PBC Limited, Sefwi Wiawso, Western North of Ghana

The study examined the promotion of customer loyalty through corporate social responsibility with evidence from PBC Limited in Sefwi Wiawso in the Western Region of Ghana. The objectives of the study were: to ascertain the level of awareness of corporate social responsibility (CSR) among customers of PCB Limited; to explore the challenges faced by PBC Limited in implementing CSR at Seftwi Wiawso; and to examine the relationship between CSR and customer loyalty among customers of PBC Limited Employing the quantitative research approach, descriptive research design, Yamane’s (1973) formula, and random sampling design; 280 completed and valid questionnaire were obtained from farmers, who were customers of PBC Limited. The questionnaire was self-administered. IBM SPSS Statistics for windows, version 23 was the software used to analyse the data. The study found that customers were aware of the CSRs carried out by PBC Limited. Also, the study established that there were several challenges hindering the successful implementation of CSR programmes among beneficiaries. Standard multiple regression analysis showed a positive relationship between CSR and customer loyalty among farmers. The study concluded that customers of PBC Limited were willing to do business with PBC Limited because of their engagement in CSR. The study recommends that management should consider addressing the numerous challenges encountered during the implementation of CSR programmes to their beneficiaries.

Source: UCC
Promoting discipline in N. Jahmadiyya Muslim Training College through community participation

This action research was designed with the aim of involving the Wala/Ahmadiyya Muslim community in the promotion of discipline in N.J Ahmadiyya Muslim Training College of Education at Wa. The same sample size of 132 made up of 35 members of the Wala/Ahmadiyya Muslim community, 60 students and 37 tutors of N.J Ahmadiyya College of Education, was selected for both the pre-intervention and post-intervention stages of the study. At both the pre-intervention and post-intervention stages, the same self-administered questionnaire was used. The questionnaire contained 16 items. The pre-intervention stage was used to gather baseline information to know the level of the disciplinary problems in the college while the post-intervention phase was meant to establish the extent to which the intervention applied had helped to improve the disciplinary situation. In each case there was 100% return rate of research questionnaires. The pre-intervention data revealed that there were serious disciplinary problems in the college such as: high incidence of bounds breaking, and lateness to classes. The data gathered at the post-intervention phase revealed that some appreciable improvements had been achieved. For example, bounds breaking decreased while class attendance and punctuality improved considerably. Among others, a recommendation was made for a similar study to be conducted in other colleges in Ghana to find out whether the intervention could produce similar or better results.

Source: UCC
Promoting ecotourism in the Suhum Kraboah Coaltar District of the Eatern Region of Ghana

The study assessed the necessary means to promote ecotourism in the Suhum Kraboah Coaltar District owing to the potential ecotourism attractions the district abounds with. Forty respondents were purposively selected in the district for in-depth interview, using an interview guide. Data collected were analysed qualitatively. Findings of the study generally indicated that respondents are willing to participate in the ecotourism venture since they believe it will aid them, especially in their developmental agendas. According to the study, landowners are prepared to give out their land for the venture. However, a majority of them would not sell it (land) out entirely to developers but rather prefer some share from the proceeds. The study also found the Suhum Kraboah Coaltar District to be a conflict-free destination. However, one cannot tell whether the good atmosphere of peace the district is enjoying now shall continue to exist after the arrival of tourists. Considering the results on the study, therefore, it is possible to state that Suhum Kraboah Coaltar District is poised for a successful ecotourism development. It is evident form the study that stakeholders will prefer the bottom-up approach of development to ensure that their views are part of the ecotourism planning and implementation of the venture.

Source: UCC
Promoting Ghana’s traditional cultural aesthetics in Ghana’s most beautiful reality television show

In recent times, the mass media in Ghana have come under heavy attack for what is often considered to be their suffocating antisocial content. Cultural nationalists in Ghana have expressed their aversion to the hegemonic representation of Western and other non-Ghanaian cultures, much to the detriment of local ones. However, there are a few mass media programmes that attempt to promote aspects of Ghanaian culture. Using Ghana’s most beautiful (GMB), a reality show produced by a privately-owned Ghanaian television channel, TV3, this paper attempts a critique of the representational motives of the programme vis-à-vis the nexus of foreign content and locally relevant ones. The paper undertakes an analysis of the 2013 edition of the programme and argues that, whilst GMB can be commended for offering a fair playing field for all the contestants in the show, it still exhibits traits of cultural hegemony and consumerism

Source: UCC
Promoting improved agricultural technologies to increase smallholder farm production efficiency: Ghanaian study of cassava farmers

Our study provides empirical answer that verifies increase in productivity, if any, through promotion of improved agricultural technologies among smallholder food crop farmers in Africa. We specifically examined Root and Tuber Improvement and Marketing Programme (RTIMP) technology effect on improving the production efficiency of cassava farmers in Ghana. we stratified RTIMP cassava farmers into above average adopters and below average adopters based on their adoption intensity scores and further examined differences in their efficiency levels which we estimated by employing the stochastic frontier production model (SFA). In order to empirically establish if RTIMP technology has actually had effect in improving productivity of the cassava farmers, we estimated an adjusted regression model (average treatment effect and average treatment effect on the treated models). Our results show that the potential outcome mean technical efficiency of about 69% achieved by the above average RTIMP technology adopters is significantly higher than that of the below average technology adopters which was found to be about 64%. Our Average Treatment Effect on the Treated (ATET) estimates confirm that there has been significant increase in the technical efficiency of cassava farmers attributable to the adoption of the RTIMP cassava technology

Source: UCC
Promoting oyster culture in Ghana: Strategies for optimising seed collection and growth of crassostrea tulipa (lamarck, 1819) in coastal water bodies

The study explored simple strategies for optimising seed collection and growth of the mangrove oyster Crassostrea tulipa to support its large-scale farming in Ghana. Coconut shell, nylon mesh, recycled oyster shell, PVC slat and ceramic tile were assessed at different depths (top, middle and bottom) and at three different stations each in the Densu Delta, Narkwa Lagoon, Benya Lagoon and Whin Estuary. Ceramic tile, PVC and oyster shell were more efficient spat collectors than coconut shell. Spat settled more profusely on under-horizontal surfaces of collectors compared with the upper surfaces. Spatfall was highest at Narkwa Lagoon, recording 1.3, 2.5, and 9.8 times spatfall in the Densu, Benya and Whin systems respectively. Spatfall was highest in the dry season in Densu Delta and Narkwa Lagoon. In Benya Lagoon it was highest in the wet season but showed no seasonal pattern in Whin Estuary. Spatfall, spat sizes and growth of cultured C. tulipa were significantly greater on middle and bottom collectors than on top collectors. Dissolved oxygen (DO) and salinity were the significant predictors of spatfall whereas those for growth were DO and turbidity. C. tulipa spat stocked at 0.14 spat cm-2 i.e. 1 spat per 7 cm2 produced ‘market-size’ oysters in six months. There was a significant difference in the growth of C. tulipa among the different water bodies with fastest absolute growth rate recorded in Narkwa Lagoon (AGR = 0.33 mm day-1). Fistubalanus pallidus was the most ubiquitous and Ficopomatus sp. was the most deleterious fouling organisms associated with the C. tulipa spat collection and culture. Further studies on genetic variability, nutrient loads and others are recommended in order to fully explain and consolidate the findings of this study.

Source: UCC
Promoting participatory technology development approach in integrated crop protection among tomato farmers in Anyima in the Kintampo district of Brong Ahafo region, Ghana

The Ghanaian public and government have come to realise that the use of chemical pesticides by vegetable farmers to control pests and diseases in the country is increasing and if agricultural production is to be sustainable and safe to humans and the environment, then intensive farming systems should become less dependent on chemical pesticides. The topdown approach characterizes most of the interventions that have attempted to address this production constraint of vegetable farmers in Ghana. The farmers have not been fully involved in the process of developing technological options which can help produce healthy vegetables at the same time sustaining the environment. The research was a collaboration between the Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension of the University of Cape Coast and GTZ/Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) Project. It was an Action Research, which experimented on Integrated Crop Protection (ICP) strategies using participatory approaches among farmers in Anyima in the Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana. The concern is that agriculture is becoming more and more complex and any intervention aimed at assisting farmers to manage crops efficiently must be holistic in nature. It should integrate the major cultural practices of farmers. Vegetable farmers in Anyima are aware of the practices of ICP but their knowledge and skills in the practice are limited. The farmers accepted the Participatory Technology Development (PTD) and ICP concept introduced by GTZ/MOFA Project and are prepared to continue. However, they will need regular assistance from agricultural extension agents in learning the basic principles underlying PTD and ICP. The vegetable farmers came to the conclusion that ‘neem leaf extract’ can be used alongside the chemical pesticides in controlling destructive caterpillars on tomato farms. Evaluation of farmers’ responses to PTD in ICP indicated that the process facilitates group work, encourages the use of local resources, reduces the over-dependence on chemical pesticides and gives farmers the skills to research into their production problems

Source: UCC
Promoting sustainable development through peace, security and resource governance in the Upper West region

The study focused on the prospect for and challenges to sustainable development in the Upper West Region. The issues examined related to sustainable development, peace, enhanced security and resource governance. A survey design was used in collecting data from 164 respondents comprising security officers, farmers, chiefs, opinion leaders, CBOs and NGOs to ascertain their views on the subject matter. Questionnaires were used to collect primary data from the identifiable stake holders and security personnel. Secondary data were collected from district assemblies’ documents and police records. The data were analysed with the Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) version 12 software and presented in tables and charts. The main conclusions are that access to social services, infrastructural and other socio-economic services are low. Many of the residents, except farmers, were aware of the need to protect water bodies. However, chieftaincy disputes and little direct involvement of the community in policing decisions inhibited trust building between the police and the public. It was thus recommended that policy makers should consider making investments in civil education on environmental protection and employment generation for the youth of the region. The security services, especially the police, should emphasise the community policy as a way of building trust for peace and sustainable development.

Source: UCC
Promoting teaching and learning in Ghanaian Basic Schools through ICT

The Basic School Computerization policy was created in 2011 to introduce computers and elearning into the entire educational system to promote training and life-long learning. Using data obtained by Connect for Change Education Ghana Alliance, this paper investigates the extent to which school administration, and teaching and learning are promoted through the use of ICT in Ghanaian Basic Schools. The data was obtained through a cross-sectional survey involving a random sampling of 333 Primary and 295 Junior High Schools across four regions (Northern, Upper East, Upper West and Volta) in Ghana. Expert interviews on ICT policy implementation were also conducted with ten District and four Regional Directors of Education. The findings show that there are relatively low computers at Primary Schools (4%) compared to the Junior High Schools (10%). In the Primary Schools, 69% of female teachers and 50% of male teachers use ICT tools to teach. The ability of teachers to use computer to teach and research is weak due to lack of access to internet, electricity/power problem, inadequate number of computers and technical know-how. The study recommends a strong and sustainable Public-Private-Partnership between the government, private sector and civil society organizations to map out plans and strategies in order to minimize the problems associated with the integration of ICT in the education system.

Source: UCC
Promoting the culture of reading among school children in selected communities around the University of Cape Coast through reading clinics

To support the reading projects in Ghana, the University of Cape Coast Library, in celebrating the 3rd Library and Information Week under the auspices of the Ghana Library Association in October 2015, donated over 1000 reading materials to five schools around the University of Cape Coast. The library also organised a reading clinic to offer reading literacy knowledge and skills to school children. The reading clinic was organised to instill the culture of reading and writing into children, to enable them enjoy reading and writing throughout their school days and beyond. Also the exercise was intended to avoid the tendencies of struggling to read and write in the future years of the children. In this regard,150 pupils with reading difficulties were selected from the five schools. Five professional librarians and ten paraprofessionals assisted in carrying out the reading clinic. The facilitators also organised reading and spelling competitions in the schools. To encourage and sustain the habit of reading, books were donated to the various schools to establish school libraries. After a period of six months, the programme was evaluated. It was realised that the programme have been generally helpful to pupils. Inadequate reading materials, and low teacher interest in pupils reading were realised. The study, recommends that, Ghana Education Service through the Ghana Library Authority should ensure that schools have libraries with qualified librarians and adequate reading materials.

Source: UCC
Promoting the culture of reading among school children in selected communities around the University of Cape Coast through reading clinics

The study aimed at investigating how performance is managed in University of Cape Coast Library through the holistic combination of human resource practices such as motivation, feedback and work design. The descriptive survey design was used in collecting and analyzing data. Questionnaire and semi-structured interview were used to solicit information from respondents. The total population was two hundred and two (202) which included eight (8) management members, and 194 senior and junior staff. The census sampling technique was used for the study. Six out of the eight management members were interviewed. Also, 184 out of 194 copies of the questionnaires were retrieved and used for the analyses. Findings of the study indicate that elements of performance management were not effectively managed. It was also revealed that some factors that hindered performance in the library include unclear job description, limited staff competencies, poor organizational leadership style and inadequate reward system. Based on the findings, it is recommended that the Library engages a human resource expert to train management on how effective and holistic combination of human resource practices can be done. Also, Library Management needs to adopt an applicable model such as the Brinkerhoff’s Performance Model which effectively integrates all the factors that lead to improved performance.

Source: UCC
Promoting Undetectable Equals Untransmittable in Sub-Saharan Africa: Implication for Clinical Practice and ART Adherence

In the last decade, reliable scientific evidence has emerged to support the concept that undetectable viral loads prevent human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Undetectable equals untransmissible (U = U) is a simple message that everyone can understand. The success of this concept depends on strict adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and the attainment of suppressed viral loads (VLs). To achieve U = U in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), poor adherence to ART, persistent low-level viremia, and the emergence of drug-resistant mutants are challenges that cannot be overlooked. Short of a cure for HIV, U = U can substantially reduce the burden and change the landscape of HIV epidemiology on the continent. From a public health perspective, the U = U concept will reduce stigmatization in persons living with HIV (PLWHIV) in SSA and strengthen public opinion to accept that HIV infection is not a death sentence. This will also promote ART adherence because PLWHIV will aim to achieve U = U within the shortest possible time. This article highlights challenges and barriers to achieving U = U and suggests how to promote the concept to make it beneficial and applicable in SSA. This concept, if expertly packaged by policy-makers, clinicians, health service providers, and HIV control programs, will help to stem the tide of the epidemic in SSA.

Source: UCC