ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Strategies for the provision and maintenance of school infrastructure - a case study of primary schools in the Ahanta West District of Ghana

Education has greatly influenced the development of the great nations of the world. The development of human capital potential has helped nations to harness their natural and fiscal resources. The end result has been the attainment of “growth plus change” in their national economies. - In the 1960s, the developing world adopted a common goal of ensuring complete and total LITERACY for all adults and children in two decades. Massive programmes were therefore launched to ensure that they met their common target. However, with the turn of the Eighties, they were still far from achieving this common goal. Failure was due mainly to a decline of the global economy and the ambitious nature of the plan. The economic crises of the 1970s led to the failure of Ghana to achieve set targets just like other countries. The entire educational sector was on the verge of total collapse. As a response, the government of the Provisional National Defence Council launched the Education Reform Programme in 1987. The reform programme has brought some improvements to the education sector, but, one area that did not receive all the needed attention and total support was the provision and maintenance of basic infrastructure in schools. The government’s policy on this, has been to encourage communities, churches and local organisations to take up this responsibility. Communities however, have not been able to fulfil this task completely. The end result has been the complete deterioration of the basic infrastructure in schools across the country, with the primary level being most affected. iv This study therefore sought to i) assess the state of infrastructure in primary schools in the Ahanta West district. ii) determine the effects of poor infrastructure on the performance of both teachers and pupils in class, and iii) evolve strategies for mobilising community resources to support the development of this infrastructure in primary schools. The research revealed that i) many communities did provide in the past towards the development of basic infrastructure in schools in their localities. ii) There has, thereafter, been little or virtually no maintenance of the infrastructure in the schools resulting to the deterioration of buildings, facilities and equipment. iii) the support from Local Government Authorities (in this case the District Assemblies) to local authority schools in terms of buildings, equipment and furniture is no longer forthcoming. iv) performance of both the teacher and pupil has been adversely affected by the poor state of the infrastructure. v) dissatisfaction with the school system is a factor to the fall in enrolment with a corresponding increase in drop out rates. The aforestated notwithstanding, there is the potential to mobilise community resources to complement government efforts in tackling the problem.

Source: KNUST
Strategies for the development of mental toughness of construction professionals: the case of Ghana

Purpose – The construction sector is recognized for subjecting its workers to various psychological pressures and mental stressors. As a result, it is crucial to explore and discover effective strategies to support these workers in managing and enduring these demanding circumstances. Mental toughness is a concept that has been advocated to aid individuals in coping and adapting to pressures and challenges. Therefore, it is imperative to explore strategies critical to developing mental toughness among construction professionals. Thus, the purpose of this study is to identify critical strategies for the development of mental toughness among construction professionals. Design/methodology/approach – A comprehensive literature review was conducted using Google Scholar, Scopus, ScienceDirect and PubMed databases to identify the strategies for the development of mental toughness. These identified strategies were used to develop a structured closed-ended questionnaire to aid in data collection. Of the 317 questionnaires distributed, 207 were collected and used for data analysis. The data were analysed using mean score ranking and one sample t-test. Findings – The study highlighted 12 critical strategies for the development of mental toughness among construction professionals. These include recognizing and rewarding achievements, taking time for self-care, organizing mental training programs, using positive self-talk, embracing a growth mindset, providing social support/developing a strong support network, creating a challenging training environment, engaging in regular physical exercise, fostering a mastery motivational climate, setting clear but challenging goals, practicing mental imagery and practicing reflection on setbacks and failures. The analysis results indicated that all of the strategies, except one (which involves practicing reflection on setbacks and failures), displayed significance. By incorporating these strategies, construction firms and the industry as a whole can empower their workforce to cope and/or overcome the various demands and stressors that work and life places on them. Research limitations/implications – The study highlights the significance of recognizing and rewarding achievements, fostering a growth mindset and implementing mental training programs to cultivate mental toughness among construction professionals. Moreover, promoting self-care practices and offering social support are essential strategies for enhancing mental resilience in the construction industry. By adopting these evidence-based approaches, construction organizations can create a mentally tough workforce capable of handling the challenges and demands of the industry effectively Originality/value – This study contributes significantly to the general body of knowledge in mental health management among employees in the construction industry. It does set the pace for the development of the general well-being of construction professionals in the achievement of mental toughness goals.

Source: KNUST
Strategies to develop the capacity of private Sector in Contract Management (case study of Ejisu – Juaben Municipal Assembly)

The Government of Ghana embarked on a reform to structure the country’s Procurement Processes in 1996. The reform culminated in the passage of the Public Procurement Law, Act 663 (2003). One of the key objectives of the law is to secure judicious, economic and efficient use of state resources. Consequently, the Act mandated the Public Procurement Authority (PPA), to assist the local business community including the Private Sector to become competitive and efficient Suppliers, Contractors and Consultants to the Public Sector, Act 663 section 3 (t), (2003). The World Bank (2007) has reiterated the effects of Public Procurement on the Ghanaian economy. The Bank accordingly has indicated that any improvement in procurement capacity yields greater value for money and increases in public service delivery. The Ghanaian private sector is perceived as having limited technical know-how on Contract Management processes. This often leads to contract cost overruns and non completion of contract on time, Afre (2010). Perceptions or concerns about performance tend to provide the entry point for thinking about capacity development. This works in both ways: under performance is associated with inadequate capacity and performance is associated with adequate and efficiently used capacity. The foregoing provided motivation for this study. The objective of the study was to review best practices of Private Sector engagement in Contract Management for local government institutions. A case study desk survey was conducted at the Ejisu- Juaben Municipal Assembly to assess performance of the Assembly and the Private Sector on implementation of key selected projects. The study showed inadequate performance by the Assembly in Contract Management in comparism with other themes for procurement performance assessment. The study further revealed delays in the implementation of key projects in the face of enhanced cash flows. The expected roles of key stakeholders in Contract Management were reviewed to provide lessons for effective and efficient service delivery. The study brought out the importance of public institutions investing in capacity building in Contract Management to improve on contract delivery. The study also highlighted on the need for monitoring and evaluation for successful contract implementation and achievement of targets. The study adopted a capacity development process and framework developed by the UNDP and the National Treasury of the Republic of South Africa to design strategies to build capacity of local government institutions including Education and Health on the Contract Management Process.

Source: KNUST
Strategies to improve the delivery of industrial relations curriculum at Ho Polytechnic

Education system as a whole has a vital part to play in preparing young people for life by giving them a broad understanding of the society in which they live. In designing and implementing courses in higher education, we make decisions to reflect the match between the educational objectives to be set and the teaching methods to adopt. With an empirical study of perceived relationship between educational objectives and teaching methods, attempts have been made to contribute to ‘quality’ teaching in the Polytechnic education. This research sources the need for a professional and adequately resourced approach to improve teaching and learning thereby providing mutual benefits to and industry. Both questionnaires and interview guides were used to gather data at the pre and post- intervention stages. The selection of strategies to improve teaching and learning of practically oriented courses remains the challenge for a feasible base line of action. To judge the quality of teaching and learning of Industrial Relations, activities were chosen in order to improve the delivery methods. The study paves the ways for variation in the teaching methods of practically oriented courses in the Polytechnic and the mode of emphasis on the role-play. The latter method has invariably enhanced the learning ability of the students in the department. Nevertheless, the involvement of the stakeholders in the delivery of practically oriented curricula should be upheld in high esteem.

Source: KNUST
Strategies to improve the performance of students in technical/engineering drawing: a case study conducted in Tamale Polytechnic

Engineering drawing resides in the core of most engineering and technology education. Over the years, designers have tried to find some effective methods of teaching the concepts and principles in technical/engineering drawing especially to beginning drafting and design students who normally have difficulty in dealing with spatially related problems. A beginning course in design and drafting should, therefore, be taught in a way so as to help students develop confidence in their ability to learn and to actually experience success in the learning process. This action research explores difficulties students face and tries to devise strategies to improve the performance of students in the subject in Tamale Polytechnic. The position of this study is that all can learn drawing successfully only if the appropriate strategies in instruction and right attitude could be considered. The study outlines strategies for improving the performance of beginning students in drawing and evaluates the effects of the strategies employed in the learning and teaching process of engineering drawing.

Source: KNUST
Strategizing towards sustainable energy planning: Modeling the mix of future generation technologies for 2050 in Benin

The Benin energy sector faces serious challenges, including an unfavorable energy mix with regular power shortages, erratic power outages, reliance on electricity imports, and dependence on traditional cooking stoves. This study has investigated strategies critical for Benin to employ to achieve 24.6 %, 44 %, and 100 % renewable energy (RE) integration targets in the final electricity mix in 2025, 2030, and 2050, respectively. This study used the EnergyPLAN model to develop different energy scenarios suitable for Benin to achieve its proposed RE penetration target. A combination of natural gas (NG) with solar photovoltaic (PV), wind energy, hydropower, and concentrated solar power (CSP) is used to develop three scenarios for RE integration namely the government targets scenario, 2 % RE per year scenario and 50 % RE in 2050 scenario. The results show that the government targets scenario is too ambitious because of the current trend and pace of developing the energy sector. Moreover, a combination of 563 MW of NG, 125 MW of PV, 200 MW of wind, 600 MW of hydropower, and 60 MW of CSP would achieve 50 % RE by 2050 under the 50 % RE scenario. This scenario would decrease CO2 emissions by 50 % with no CEEP generation. Furthermore, the total electricity generation from MSW in Benin is estimated to be 0.232, 0.3215, and 1.16 TWh/yr in 2025, 2030, and 2050, respectively. The study’s findings could help decision-makers and stakeholders make informed decisions to promote the integration of RE resources in the Benin Republic.

Source: KNUST
Strategies to improve the teaching and learning of Technical Report Writing in Accra Polytechnic

The Language and Liberal Studies Department has been tasked to teach Technical Report Writing to Engineering students in Accra polytechnic in particular and the Polytechnics of Ghana in general. Unfortunately, however, lesson delivery has suffered some set-backs for two main reasons: a. An unclear course definition in the existing teaching document. b. The instructor’s own short-comings in terms of knowledge of the various aspects of the course. The researcher decided to improve upon her practice through Action Research. The main problems which came out in the research were the fact that the existing course outline: a. fails to give a course description b. provide unclear course content. AS a result, teachers of the course who are basically teachers of English language have been compelled to teach the course anyhow they see fit. What this study sought to do was: a. to involve all the Stakeholders in the Engineering programme particularly Industry and teachers to design a new teaching document which — i. describes the course and ii. States the course content more clearly b. Involve these Stakeholders in lesson delivery or Team Teaching. in doing this, the research has addressed the difficulty faced by the teacher of English in terms of having to teach specific Technical reports in Engineering. The proposed teaching document was piloted on Building Engineering students of the Accra Polytechnic. The main findings that came out in the study include the need for a collaborative effort on the part of all the stakeholders of the Engineering programme to agree on the teaching strategies that would enhance lesson delivery on the various topics in the new teaching document. On the basis of these findings, the researcher recommends continuous research and evaluation of the existing course outlines being used for teaching in the various departments of the Polytechnics of Ghana.

Source: KNUST
Stratégies utilisées dans la des notices de medicaments.

Our main objective for this research entitled Stratégies Utilisées Dans La Traduction Des Notices De Médicaments, is to do a study on the type of leaflets on local and foreign pharmaceutical products and to look at the translation strategies used in translating from English to French and also from French to English. We made a collection of some leaflets on some pharmaceutical products and we made a comparison of the translations made in the two languages. We chose to do this work by considering how diseases are so prevalent in our days and to also draw the attention of producers of pharmaceutical products to the type of translation done on these products. Each version of a leaflet on a drug must be well labelled, legible and understandable to users. It is therefore necessary that we pay attention to the local and foreign medical products which are patronized even though their leaflets are not much understood by users. Translations on medical products are very essential and should not be done anyhow, and producers on their part must not just look at how to sell more products without looking at the information on the leaflets well. We have made some recommendations to producers of pharmaceutical products as well as translators.

Source: KNUST
Strategies to improve the teaching and learning of building mathematics at Cape Coast Polytechnic

Building Mathematics was being taught by only the traditional lecture method. By this method the lecturer only gives out note with a little explanation and then gives the students some references. The problem with this method alone is that, students find it very difficult to ask questions in the lecture room due to the tension in class. In this action research, the researcher tried to solve this problem (i.e. the inability of students to asking questions), or at least find a partial solution, by introducing the Tutorial method, the Field trip method and the Dalton Plan as part of his teaching strategies. The researcher used the first year building technology class for his research. A pre-test was conducted, based on the pre-requisite topics for Building Mathematics. The results showed that most of the students lacked knowledge in the pre-requisite topics for the Building Mathematics. These results were then used to group the class into the ‘Weaker’ group and the ‘Stronger’ group. It was also realised that due to the tension during Building Mathematics classes, most students did not concentrate or contribute in class. With the introduction of the Tutorial and the Dalton Plan, the tension that existed initially was reduced since the students were the main contributors to the whole session. After the class had been divided into the two groups comprising ‘weaker’ students and ‘stronger’ students, initial results from the tutorial exercises, mid-semester and end of semester examinations showed a wide gap between these two groups. After introducing, the new teaching and learning strategies like the Dalton Plan, the Tutorial method and the Field trip method, their results improved to show that the weaker students had improved. The researcher therefore used the combination of the Lecture, the Dalton Plan, the Tutorial and the Field trip methods to solve the problem. He also recommends the above teaching methods to anybody facing the same problem stated above. For further research based on this problem, the researcher advises that the syllabus should be revised to incorporate the pre-requisite topics like Trigonometry, Simultaneous equations, Surds, Indices, and Logarithms, into the syllabus.

Source: KNUST
A strategy proposal for generating non-agricultural activities for smallholders in the Ahanta West District of Ghana

There is a great disparity between land availability and the number of small-scale farmers in Ahanta West District. This has resulted in the high pressure on the land, and consequent out –migration of the economically active population due to the lack of employment opportunities. It was found out that the rural people under-employed and hence their potential wasted. Their level of technology is very low, as hoes and cutlasses are still the main implement being used but the farmers and the level of fertilizers, pesticides and manure is insignificant. This state of affairs implies that agriculture work is tedious and strenuous, and productivity low. The forward and backward linkages to the agricultural sector were also found to be very weak. This has contribute on one hand, to the high price and irregularities of agricultural inputs supply, and on the other hand, to the low price of agricultural produce due to the lack of market outlets, and the exploitation of the farmers by middlemen.. The overall result is that peasant farmers are not able to generate enough income to meet their basic needs and their living standard is declining. The study made an attempt to identify the appropriate measures to address the aforementioned problems and constraints. Four programmes have been identified and proposed for implementation. These programmes include the introduction of animal traction the promotion of agro-processing activities, the expansion of alternative crops/land use such as woodlotting and alley cropping and the improvement of marketing outlets and storage facilities. The implementation of these programmes, however, requires the co-ordinated efforts of institutions and organization at all level in the district as well as the community beneficiaries, to be carried out successfully. If these programmes are effectively implemented, they are expected to not only raise agricultural productivity but also generate non-agricultural occupations, to mobilize the surplus manpower in the district. Improved peasant farming and rational employment of the rural labour force are expected to increase production and eventually improve the living condition of the peasant farmers, and thus contribute to the development of the entire district.

Source: KNUST
Streamflow Estimation in the Pra River Basin of Ghana

The mean monthly stream flow in a river basin is one salient characteristic which relates to the storage and use of stream flow as a resource or source of supply. Mean monthly stream flow estimates are thus required for the planning, assessment and management of water resources projects, including water supply, irrigation and hydropower generation. Using stream flow data recorded at nine gauging stations in the Pra River Basin of Ghana, four sets of mathematical equations have been developed which relate the mean monthly stream flow in the basin for each month of the year to the basin climatic and physiographic characteristics. Each set of equations reflects a certain degree of sophistication in terms of data input requirement, accuracy and applicability. Of the basin parameters examined, basin area alone accounted for about 90% of the spatial variability of mean monthly stream flows in a multiple regression analysis. The inclusion of rainfall, basin relief, main channel length and stream order increased the predictability (measured by the R-squared statistic) of the equations to between 95% to 99.9%, and achieved relatively reduced standard errors of estimate. Geological, as well as climatic, homogeneity in time and space are the main assumptions of the models. It is further assumed that rainfall over the basin is temporally and already uniform. Finally, the effect of urbanization, if any, on stream flow is considered insignificant. The results suggest that the mean monthly stream flow at an ungauged site in the Pra River Basin could be well estimated from basin climatic and physiographic characteristics using the models developed. The standard errors of estimate associated with these models were 30% to 50% of the observed mean and were lowest (5 % < SE <10%) for the relatively more sophisticated of these models.

Source: KNUST