ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Influence Of The Diploma In Basic Education Programme Run By Colleges Of Education On Beginning Teachers' Teaching Efficiency In Matematics

This study examined the innuence of the Diploma 111 Basic Education (DBE) programme run by Colleges of Education on beginning teachers' teaching efficiency in mathematics. The study employed sequential explanatory mixed method design . In all, the study used 184 teacher participants comprising 104 beginning and 80 in-service teachers selected using multistage sampling techniques - simple random, purposive and proportionate sampling. Observation schedule, questionnaire and semi-structured interview guide were used to collect data which were analysed and discussed within the framework of Val siner's Zone Theory. The quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation) and inferential statistics (independent sample t-test, one-way analysis of variance - ANOVA) while the qualitative data were analysed narratively. It was found that the DBE programme was effective in building the teaching practices and altitude of beginning teachers. The teaching practices of the DBE trained teachers were rated very high. There was no statistically significant difference between teaching practices of beginning teachers and in-service teachers. Attitude of the beginning teachers towards teaching ofmathematics was also positive. Overall , the beginning teachers perceived the training programme as being useful. However, teaching practices and attitudes of beginning teachers were found to differ across specialties (early childhood, primary and junior high). It was therefore recommended that Mentoring Universities should consider extending the duration of the method of teaching mathematics course from one semester to at least two semesters to gi ve room to preservice teachers to internali se the content of the methods course to improve teaching efficiency. Suggestions were made for further studies.

Source: UCC
Influence of the Provision of Counselling Services on Employee Productivity in Ghana Cocoa Board

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of the provision of counselling services on employee productivity in Ghana Cocoa Board. Descriptive research design was adopted for this study. Proportional stratified method of sampling was used to select 311 participants from a population of 1630 employees in the Ghana Cocoa Board. The data were collected through the use of an adapted questionnaire, and both descriptive and inferential statistics were utilized in the analysis. The results of the study showed that, counselling was rarely provided for employees at Ghana Cocoa Board. Also, it was revealed that the respondents perceived counselling to be important at the workplace. The respondents also had the perception that workplace counselling is a sign of a caring organisation and also a symbol of good working conditions. Further, results showed that the respondents saw workplace counselling to be beneficial for employees and the organisation as a whole. In terms of challenges, the study found that the lack of professional counsellors, lack of awareness of counselling among employees and lack of resources needed for counselling were the main challenges hindering the provision of counselling. Finally, the findings showed that because counselling was rarely provided counselling service did not significantly affect productivity. From the findings, recommendations were made that authorities of the Ghana Cocoa Board should set up vibrant Counselling Units (Employee Assistant Programme) across all their offices to help employees resolve their issues at the workplace.

Source: UCC
Influence of Time Management Practices, Depression, Anxiety and Stress on Academic Performance of Senior High School Students in the Okere District of Ghana

This study examined the influence of time management practices, and distress on the academic performance of senior high school students in the Okere District, Ghana. The research was conducted with a focus on a single research question and four hypotheses. Employing a descriptive survey design and a quantitative approach, the study utilised multi-techniques procedures, including purposive, proportionate, and simple random sampling, to identify and select a sample of 313 participants. Time management practices scale, depression, anxiety and stress scale were adapted to collect data for the study. Mean and standard deviations, structural equation model, independent sample t-test and moderation analysis were used to analyse the data. The findings of the study revealed higher levels of time management practices among students. The findings indicated that despite time management practices having a positive relationship with academic performance, overall time management practices were not found to influence the academic performance of students. The study also showed that despite depression, anxiety and stress having a relationship with academic performance, overall depression, anxiety and stress were not statistically significant to the academic performance of the students. The study also revealed that there is no gender difference in depression, anxiety and stress among students. The study further indicated that gender did not moderate the effect between time management practices and the academic performance of the students. The study recommended that educational institutions should consider offering time management workshops to improve time management strategies, goal-setting and organization skills among students.

Source: UCC
Influence of traditional and religious beliefs on students’ learning of science: A case of tamale college of education

Ghana, like any other developing country, needs to give particular attention to the study of Science in the various educational institutions, and provide the necessary conditions which promote effective teaching and learning of the subject. However, there seems to be a conflict between science and the belief systems of students in the learning of science. The purpose of the study was to find out the influence of traditional and religious beliefs on the learning of science by students in Tamale College of Education. The sample size of the study was 70 and comprised of first and second year students of the college. A questionnaire was used to collect data which was analysed and presented in tables with brief explanations. The findings showed that traditional and religious beliefs have an impact on the learning of science by students involved in the study. For instance, the belief that pregnant women who eat eggs or snails will give birth to thieves had both negative and positive impact on the students’ learning of science at the College .Among others, it was recommended that public fora should occasionally be organized to educate people on the effects of certain cultural beliefs.

Source: UCC
Influence of Vice Chancellors-Ghana (VCG) on the Operations of Public Universities

The ascendancy of Vice Chancellors-Ghana on the operations of public universities has generated a lot of discourse amongst teaching and non-teaching staff in higher education. In order to explore and make empirical literature available on the subject, this study sought to examine the influence of Vice Chancellors-Ghana (VCG) on the operations of public universities. The study employed the concurrent triangulation mixed method design within the pragmatism research philosophy. Six (6) public universities in Ghana were involved in the study. Quantitatively, multi-stage (stratified and proportionate) technique wasused in the selection of 418 teaching and non-teaching staff. Qualitatively, the purposive sampling procedure was used in the selection of eight (8) Vice Chancellors-Ghana (both current and past) members and five (5) senior members in the study. The data were collected using questionnaires and interview guide and processed via SPSS (version 25). Thematic analysis was employed for qualitative data. It was discovered that VCG influences the operations of public universities in terms of standardization, accreditation process, financial management of the institutions, research and teaching, among others. Also, it was realized that, the teaching and non-teaching staff were aware of the existence of VCG but were unaware of the operational influence of VCG. Again, government manipulation and interference, lack of legal backing of VCG, among others were some of the challenges associated with the operations of VCG. The study recommended that, VCG should be registered for them to have a mouthpiece. Again, VCG should embark on awareness creation programmes and ensure that their welfare activities trickle down to both teaching and non-teaching staff.

Source: UCC
Influence of work environment and work motivation on the professional self-esteem and competence of teachers in the Berekum municipality

The study investigated the influence of work environment and work motivation on basic school teachers’ professional self-esteem and competence in the Berekum Municipality. Data for the study were gathered from all 990 teachers in the Municipality using adapted questionnaires that reflected work environment, work motivation, professional self-esteem and competence of teachers. Analyses of data were done using frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviations, multiple regression and multivariate analyses of variance. The results revealed that teachers’ levels of work motivation, professional self-esteem and competence were moderate. Also, the study revealed that work environment and work motivation significantly and positively related to teachers’ professional self-esteem and professional competence. However, no difference existed between male and female teachers in terms of work motivation, professional self-esteem and professional competence. It was concluded that work environment of teachers determined their competence and professional self-esteem. Therefore, it was recommended that conducive working environment be provided for schools since this could spark motivation in teachers towards teaching and learning in schools and also harness professional self-esteem and competence in the teaching profession

Source: UCC
Influence of Work-Family Conflict and Job Characteristics on Life Satisfaction Among Female Tutors at Colleges of Education: Moderating Role of Social Support

Many female tutors are affected in the progression of their career, due to the demands of multiple roles which have impact on their personal well-being and career satisfaction. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of work-family conflicts on the life satisfaction of female tutors at Colleges of Education in the Eastern Region of Ghana. Specifically, the study sought to explore the nature of work-family conflicts among female tutors in colleges of education in the Eastern Region of Ghana, again, investigate how job characteristics influence work-family conflicts among female tutors in Colleges of Education in the Eastern Region of Ghana, also, explore the effect of work-family conflicts on the life satisfaction of female tutors in Colleges of Education in the Eastern Region of Ghana and examine the moderating role of social support on the relationship between work-family conflicts and life satisfaction. The positivism philosophy, exploratory research design and quantitative approach was employed in this study. The target population for the study included all 113 female tutors in the various Colleges of Education in the Eastern Region of Ghana with a sample size of 42. The sampling technique was census and data were collected primarily through questionnaire. The data analysis was also done with the use of statistical package for social sciences. The study concluded that social support moderates the relationship between work-family conflict and life satisfaction through inhibition of the possible negative effect of work-family conflict.

Source: UCC
Influence Of Work-Family Conflict On Marital Satisfaction Of Pentecost Pastors In Ghana

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of work-family conflict on the marital satisfaction of the Church of Pentecost pastors in the Eastern Region of Ghana. Descriptive cross-sectional research design was employed for the study. The cluster sampling and the simple random technique (lottery method) were employed to select 140 participants for the research. A structured questionnaire was adopted to collect data. Mean and standard deviation were used to analyze the research questions and analysis of variance was used to analyze the hypothesis. It was revealed that some pastors of the Church of Pentecost are not satisfied with their marriages because of the work-family conflicts they experience. However, others were satisfied. Furthermore, it was revealed that inadequate measures are employed by the Church of Pentecost to manage the work-family conflict experienced by the pastors of the church. Based on the findings, the study recommends that leaders and policy makers of the Church of Pentecost should introduce and implement work-family conflict management programmes and seminars to enrich the knowledge of the Church of Pentecost pastors on how to handle work-family conflicts to help the pastors who are not satisfied with their marriages and further enhance the marital satisfaction of the pastors who are satisfied with their marriages.

Source: UCC
The Influence of Workplace Facilities on Lactating Working Mothers’ Job Satisfaction and Organisational Commitment: A Case Study of Lactating Working Mothers in Accra, Ghana

The purpose of the study was to find out the influence of workplace facilities on lactating working mothers’ job satisfaction and their commitment level at work. The subjects for the study were two hundred and sixty lactating working mothers who were working full time from five different organizations in the Accra Metropolis in Ghana with age range of 24-41 years, mean age of 32.2 and a standard deviation of 8.8. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics of mean, standard deviation and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used at 0.05 levels of significance. The findings of the study revealed that, lactating working mothers who get Workplace Facilities are more committed to their work and also more satisfied with their work than those who do not get workplace facilities. This paper, therefore, suggests that employers should provide workplace facilities for lactating working mothers who want to continue the practice of exclusive breastfeeding when they return to work, Since the provision of workplace facilities benefit both the employers, the child and the working mothers. The result of this study is to help policy makers in Ghana to have a second look at the Ghana labour Act (2003) about employment of women especially lactating mothers who want to continue the practice of exclusive breastfeeding with full time work. The findings will also educate employers in Ghana about the benefit of workplace facilities for lactating working mothers and the organization as a whole.

Source: UCC
Informal Economy, Human Development And Governance In Africa

The informal economy phenomenon has been on the discussion table since the early 1970s. In recent years, however, the informal economy has come under attack. The main criticism is that a large informal economy worsens human development (health (longevity), education, and income), distorts governance frameworks, and thwarts efforts toward achieving inclusive growth. These concerns outweigh any advantages it offers as a safety net for the poor. Consequently, one of the targets of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 8.3) is to promote the formalisation of the informal economy through the promotion of the decent work agenda. Therefore, this study attempts to investigate the claims and counterclaims of the association between the informal economy, human development, and governance using panel data of 32 out of 54 African countries from 2000 to 2017. The study was conducted under the lenses of modernisation, institutional, structuralist and neoliberal theories. Four panel estimation regression models were estimated, including multiple imputation techniques, moderated hicrarchical analysis, two-step system generalised method of moments (SGMM), and the pooled mean group (PM G). The study relied on data from the World Development Indicators and the W orIdwide Governance Indicators from W orId Bank (2019). Based on the regression analysis, the study found that: 1. Human development has a long-tun negative causality impact on the size of the informal economy at the 1 % significance level, ceteris paribus. 2. Governance also has a long-run negative causality impact on the Informal economy at the 1 % significance level, ceteris paribus. , 3. The interaction of human development and governance has a negative joint causality impact on the size of the informal economy at the 1 % significance level, in the long run, ceteris paribus. Therefore, human development and governance can be used as policy variables to reduce the 'size of the informal economy in Africa. By implication, health (longevity), education income (command over resources), and governance are instruments that can be used to minimise the size of the informal economy in Africa. In terms of policy and development practice implications, African countries can reduce the size of the informal economy by: • Making the education system more inclusive, high-quality, and efficient, • Making health care more accessible, of a higher quality and more efficient, • Making income-generating opportunities (command over resources) more inclusive and sustainable, • Institutionalising public participation in local and national governance, • Formulating and delivering' a fornlalisation strategy guided by recommendation, 2015 (No. 204) and based on the four pillars of decent work.

Source: UCC
‘Informal Exceptionalism?’ Labour Migrants’ Creative Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Livelihoods in Accra, Ghana.

Intra- and inter-regional migration is widely described. Prior studies have attribute varied reasons for this development including the quest for greener pastures and unequal development in northern Ghana. What has escaped critical scrutiny is some migrants’ ability to escape extreme rural poverty, albeit in harsh urban environment. Such a missing gap can potentiate high policy failures, hence the need for academic attention. Using a mixed method, we focus on two informal daily livelihoods as exemplars – exceptionalism – in Accra. We see their embedded organisational vitality and dynamic networks as illuminating for good livelihood practices, proper city governance and fostering economic empowerment. We call on city authorities to take cognisance of such complexities and heterogeneity of production–labour relations, failure of which can spell doom for policies ostensibly initiated to curb migration, as they are likely to be underpinned by factual inaccuracies and may result in ill-fated interventions.

Source: UCC
‘Informal Exceptionalism?’labour migrants’ creative entrepreneurship for sustainable livelihoods in Accra, Ghana

Intra- and inter-regional migration is widely described. Prior studies have attribute varied reasons for this development including the quest for greener pastures and unequal development in northern Ghana. What has escaped critical scrutiny is some migrants’ ability to escape extreme rural poverty, albeit in harsh urban environment. Such a missing gap can potentiate high policy failures, hence the need for academic attention. Using a mixed method, we focus on two informal daily livelihoods as exemplars – exceptionalism – in Accra. We see their embedded organisational vitality and dynamic networks as illuminating for good livelihood practices, proper city governance and fostering economic empowerment. We call on city authorities to take cognisance of such complexities and heterogeneity of production–labour relations, failure of which can spell doom for policies ostensibly initiated to curb migration, as they are likely to be underpinned by factual inaccuracies and may result in ill-fated interventions

Source: UCC
Informal Sector Workers Awareness And Participation In The Ssnit Informal Pension Scheme: A Survey In Kumasi Metropolis

This study basically examines informal sectors within Kumasi Metropolis awareness and level of participation in the SSNIT informal pension scheme. Thus, the main aim if the study is to determine the level of awareness and patronage of the SSNIT informal pension scheme among traders in Kumasi Metropolis. The study adopted descriptive survey research design. The study’s population comprised of workers in the informal sector trading in goods and services such as second-hand clothing, small kiosks and containers shops, commercial drivers, mechanics, hawkers among others. Stratified sampling technique was employed to select traders from each of the study groups within the study area. In all one hundred and fifty (150) respondents were sampled for the study. The findings reveal that a chunk of the respondents only know of SSNIT scheme for workers in the formal sector or government workers. Also, more than 80 percent of the respondents were not willing to contribute to the SSNIT informal pension scheme. It was found out that, individual’s level of education, position in the household, number of dependents were significant determinants of respondents’ willingness to contribute to the SSNIT informal sectors. The study recommends that SSNIT being the only pension scheme of the government must embark on aggressive campaign to educate Ghanaians especially those in the informal sector on the scheme.

Source: UCC
Informal Sector Workers Awareness And Participation In The Ssnit Informal Pension Scheme; A Survey In Kumasi Metropolis

This study basically examines informal sectors within Kumasi Metropolis awareness and level of participation in the SSNIT informal pension scheme. Thus, the main aim if the study is to determine the level of awareness and patronage of the SSNIT informal pension scheme among traders in Kumasi Metropolis. The study adopted descriptive survey research design. The study’s population comprised of workers in the informal sector trading in goods and services such as second-hand clothing, small kiosks and containers shops, commercial drivers, mechanics, hawkers among others. Stratified sampling technique was employed to select traders from each of the study groups within the study area. In all one hundred and fifty (150) respondents were sampled for the study. The findings reveal that a chunk of the respondents only know of SSNIT scheme for workers in the formal sector or government workers. Also, more than 80 percent of the respondents were not willing to contribute to the SSNIT informal pension scheme. It was found out that, individual’s level of education, position in the household, number of dependents were significant determinants of respondents’ willingness to contribute to the SSNIT informal sectors. The study recommends that SSNIT being the only pension scheme of the government must embark on aggressive campaign to educate Ghanaians especially those in the informal sector on the scheme.

Source: UCC