ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Child Delinquency and Pupils’ Academic Performance in Fumesua Municipal Assembly Primary School in the Ejisu- Juaben Municipality, Ashanti Region, Ghana

This research was conducted purposely to examine child delinquency on pupils’ academic performance. Fumesua Municipal Assembly (M/A) primary school was used as the case study for the research. The specific objectives of the study are to find out the factors that contribute to child delinquent behavior, identify, if delinquent behavior influence the child academic performance and to find out the remedies that will help solve the problem. There was review of related literature in order to put the study into perspective. The study selected a sample size of 49 respondents comprising 40 students and 9 teachers who were interviewed, in order to obtain primary data. Secondary data was also gathered from books, journals and the internet. Purposive sampling was the sampling technique used for selecting the pupils. The collected data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Service Solution (SPSS). From the findings of the study, it was realized that, the causes of child delinquency are as a result of financial problem, bad friends, and poor academic performance and for fun. Also from the findings, it was realized that the remedies to child delinquency are punishment, guidance and counseling, proper monitoring of pupils by parents and reporting of children to their teachers when they misbehave. It was recommended that, parents should monitor their children movement and be mindful of the kind of people they walked with. Also it was recommended that children should not be given enough idle time and again classrooms should not be overcrowded.

Source: UCC
Child fostering and education in Ghana

The literature on fostering of children and their welfare, especially on education, presents ambivalent outcomes. While some children in foster care may have access to better education than what would have been possible in their biological residences, others are prevented from attending school regularly or do not attend school at all due to labour demands in their foster households.Drawing on data collected by researchers as part of a larger study of child mobility in Ghana, Malawi and South Africa, we explore the extent of child fostering in two agro-ecological zones in Ghana and how it relates to education.Methods Data in the child mobility study were collected in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, followed by a questionnaire survey. This generated data for children (between 8 and 18) – both in-school and out-of-school.Findings Our findings lean heavily towards the school of thought that maintains that child fostering is detrimental to the educational outcomes of fostered children. Even where children were fostered by relatives, the negative impact on education was evident. Fostered children were less likely to be enrolled in school, less likely to be attending regularly, and more likely to be ‘behind’ in their schooling, than those living with their biological parents. Serial fostering of children emerged as another dimension of fostering that needs further investigation in terms of its impacts on schooling.Conclusion We conclude that fostering impacts negatively on foster children’s educational experiences and outcomes.

Source: UCC
Child labour among public junior high schools pupils in the Techiman municipality in the Brong-Ahafo region of Ghana

The study set out to examine child labour among public Junior High School pupils in the Techiman Municipality in the Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana. It covered 60 respondents selected through purposive and simple random sampling techniques. The main data collection techniques were questionnaire and interview. The data was processed, using the Statistical Product for Service Solutions (SPSS). Majority of the pupils used for the study were engaged in hawking in the municipality. Poverty was mentioned as the major factor accounting for child labour in the Techiman Municipality. It was also revealed that the extent of child labour among public JHS pupils in the municipality was very high, and this has affected the academic performance of the pupils. Furthermore, majority of the respondents indicated that it was possible to address the problem of child labour in the municipality. Parents recommended that government and civil society should support parents with finances in the form of loans, jobs and other employment opportunities. The pupils recommended that government should support pupils with books and uniforms; expand the school-feeding programme to all basic schools and to cover public JHS pupils; and enforce the laws on child labour. The teachers recommended that government and civil society should sensitise parents and guardians on the importance of education and the need to be more responsible for the upkeep of their wards an the to stop child labour.

Source: UCC
Child Labour and Human Capital Formation in the Central Region of Ghana

ABSTRACT The study focused on ‘Child Labour and Human Capital Formation in the Central Region of Ghana’. In general, the study focused on the parents’ attitude to supply child labour and how it affects child human capital formation of children between 5-17 years in the public basic schools in the Central Region of Ghana. A multi-stage with simple random and purposive sampling techniques were used in the study. A total sample size of 788 children with their parents were interviewed. Head teachers/class teachers served as informant. A detailed structured interview with questionnaire was adopted as the data collection technique for the study. Probit, biprobit, ordinary least squares, IVprobit and propensity score matching models were adopted for the estimation. The findings of the study showed that parental attitude of positive stigma significantly increases the probability of child labour participation. Child labour participation and child labour hours significantly hinder child human capital formation in terms of education and health outcomes. Children involved in hazardous nature of work and child labour hours are gender-specific for boys. It is recommended that Ministry of Education and Ghana Education Service through the Inspectorate Board should design truancy policy that would be enforced on parents to reduce child participation in economic activities and promote the free compulsory universal basic education policy. In addition, the district assemblies must sensitize and educate the public on the hazardous nature of child labour activities and the likely health implications on children’s welfare.

Source: UCC
Child Nutritional Outcomes: Issues of Spatial Clustering and Neighbourhood Effects in Sub-Saharan Africa

This thesis addresses three objectives: (1) assess spatial dependence of stunting in children (2) examine the effects of neighbouring mothers’ education on child health, and (3) investigate differences in the neighbourhood effects of the correlates of stunting. Data from the last round of the Demographic and Health Surveys of Ghana and 29 other Sub-Saharan African countries are used. The Moran’s I statistic and the Local Indicator of Spatial Association statistic are computed to assess the extent of spatial dependence of stunting rates. Spatial Lag and Spatial Error models are used to ascertain the cause of spatial dependence and the effect of neighbourhood mothers’ education on stunting. Structural Equation Modelling is used to ascertain the effect of socioeconomically advantaged neighbourhoods on stunting and wasting in Ghana. Multilevel logistic regressions are employed to examine the neighbourhood effects of the correlates of stunting. The results of the spatial analysis show that 17 districts with high rates of stunting are clustered in the north-eastern part of Ghana. The study found that the effect of stunting in adjacent neighbourhood districts is 19 per cent as large as it is in the focal district in Ghana. The Structural Equation Model shows that children living in advantaged neighbourhoods have better health outcomes. Achieving a target of at least 75 per cent of mothers obtaining secondary education and higher could bridge the rural-urban gap in stunting in Sub-Saharan Africa. Improved water reduces a child’s probability of being stunted by 1 per cent in a rural area and 4 per cent in urban. Initiatives to address stunting should be broadened to cover districts with the likelihood of contributing to poor child health outcomes in adjoining settlements.

Source: UCC
Child-rearing practices among student-mothers at University of Cape Coast, Ghana

It has been argued that countries can achieve most Millennium Development Goals if female education becomes a priority. Although Ghana has reduced the gender gap in education over the last two decades, less emphasis has been placed on the challenges student-mothers face on campus. The study explored such challenges and how student mothers cope at the University of Cape Coast. The study, guided by the bio-psychosocial model, adopted a qualitative approach to reach twenty-eight respondents for in-depth interviews. It was realized that respondents usually skipped lectures and tutorials to take care of their babies. Stigma and uncooperative attitude of some lectures increased their psychological stress. These collectively affected their academic activities. Emotional focused coping strategies such as remaining indoors and crying were mostly used. While the University must develop a policy on the subject, its Counseling Unit must intensify the education on problem-focused coping strategy

Source: UCC
Childcare Choices Among Female Street Vendors In Mankessim In The Central Region Of Ghana

This study explored the Childcare Choices of female street vendors in Mankessim with children aged zero to three years. Employing qualitative research methods, the study conducted 38 individual interviews, drawing on insights from various study participants, including 21 female street vendors, seven market and non-market-based child caregivers, and 10 key informants. This study adopted social reproduction theory as its theoretical framework and employed a thematic approach for data analysis. The findings revealed that the childcare system in Mankessim had gaps in quality and accessibility. The findings revealed that female street vendors had childcare needs of affordable, safe, and reliable childcare provision. The findings suggest that female street vendors in Mankessim often rely on non-market-based childcare arrangements to fulfil their children’s caregiving needs. Finally, factors such as the cost of childcare, notions of appropriate motherhood, childhood, and the presence of social support networks shape the childcare choices of female street vendors in Mankessim. The study recommends implementing strategic approaches aimed at improving the general economic situation of women informal economy workers, such as female street vendors, to indirectly alleviate some of their childcare challenges. Additionally, this study recommends the establishment of a community-based childcare centre in the central business area specifically tailored to meet the needs of female street vendors and other informal economy workers in Mankessim.

Source: UCC
Childhood obesity among primary school pupils in the Tema metropolis

Childhood obesity has been established to be a major public health concern globally. Children who are obese are more likely to stay obese into adulthood and to develop non communicable diseases (NCDs) at a younger age. The study sought to investigate childhood obesity and its associated factors among primary school pupils within Tema Metropolis. A cross-sectional study was carried out among 363 upper primary school pupils in the Tema Metropolis. Both inferential and descriptive statistics were used to examine the associations between background characteristics and childhood obesity. The results provide evidence that the overall combined prevalence of obesity among school pupils in the Tema Metropolis was 15.43%. Pupils who consumed less fruits and vegetables but consumed more sweetened drinks or substituted fruits and vegetables with high fat and refined cereals were more likely to be obese. Furthermore, those who ate breakfast consistently were less likely to become obese. Also, the results from the study showed that more than half (51.24%) of the pupils who watch television each day were more likely to be obese. Additionally, pupils who performed less physical activities were more likely to become obese compared to those who engaged in more physical activities. The findings of this study also showed that pupils (15.91%) who were obese were from low economic stratum. To sustain a healthy dietary habit and physical activity among primary school pupils in the Tema Metropolis, the Ghana Education Service (GES) must strengthen Physical Education activities and make it compulsory to pupils in the basic schools. GES and Ghana Health Service (GHS) must also develop policies to ensure cooks or venders at the school canteen sell healthy foods to the school pupils. GHS must provide information on healthy active lifestyle and dietary habits to parents in order to ensure their children also embrace it and improve upon their health.

Source: UCC
Childhood vaccination in Ghana from 1998 to 2014

The adverse effect of vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs) on the health of children cannot be overemphasized. These diseases are major causes of illness, disability and death in childhood, and account for 17 percent of global total under-five mortality per year. Vaccination remains one of public health’s greatest achievements. It is one of the major ways to reduce child morbidity and mortality from common VPDs. The vaccines given to children as part of the Extended Program on Immunisation in Ghana includes polio 1, 2 and 3, measles, Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG), Diphtheria-Pertussis-Tetanus (DPT) 1, 2 and 3 as well as yellow fever vaccines. Using the health care service utilisation model, this study assessed childhood vaccination in Ghana from 1998 to 2014. Mothers of children who are aged 0-23 months from four rounds 1998, 2003, 2008 and 2014 of the Ghana Demographic and Health Survey were used for the study. Univariate and multivariate analyses were employed in the study. Over the period, BCG was the most received vaccine while the least received vaccine was measles. Vaccination coverage for all the four vaccines received by children increased from 1998 to 2014. Thus, from 83% to 94% for BCG, 54% to 71% for DPT, 54% to 79% for polio and 43% to 50% for measles. Age of the mother, occupation, education, religion and parity were the factors that influenced the uptake of the vaccination. There is the need for MoH and the Ghana Health Service to strengthen interventions and messages targeting mothers and potential mothers on the importance of vaccination and immunisation for their children.

Source: UCC
The Childless Woman As A Failure? A Literary Analysis Of The Contestation Of The Childless Woman In Three (3) African Tests

This thesis explores how Flora Nwapa and Ayobami Adebayo construct marriage and represent the childless woman in Efuru, One is Enough and Stay With Me. The characters presented in the selected texts redefine marriage by confronting heterosexual norms and women’s socio-political subjectivities in the African context. The thesis, therefore, focuses on how the heroines in these texts catalyse events that (re)define their fate and the fate of other women in the texts. The thesis frames the selected texts as provocative and nonconforming texts that aim at reinterpreting and contesting the conventional idea that the childless married woman is synonymous with failure. In rereading these texts, the thesis examines how Nwapa and Adebayo explore the restoration of the dignity of the childless woman and the appreciation of her contribution to society. The study found that both Nwapa and Adebayo challenge and contest the cultural representation of the childless woman as a failure by constructing strong, fearless, financially independent, and successful women. The study also found that Adebayo shifts the burden of childlessness from the African woman to the African man by representing Akin as impotent. Furthermore, the study showed that Adebayo subtly proposes the deconstruction of oral narratives as the solution to a genuine African conjugal relationship.

Source: UCC
Children as research collaborators: issues and reflections from a mobility study in Sub-Saharan Africa

This paper reflects on issues raised by work with children in an ongoing child mobility study in three sub-Saharan African countries: Ghana, Malawi and South Africa. There are now 70 school pupils of varying ages involved in the project, but the paper is particularly concerned with the participation of those children 14 years and under. We examine the significant ethical issues associated with working with younger child researchers, and linked questions concerning the spaces open to them in African contexts where local cultural constructions of childhood and associated economic imperatives (which commonly drive family and household endeavour) help shape the attitudes of adults to children’s rights and responsibilities and inter-generational power relations

Source: UCC
Children as ‘invisible’ contributors to household poverty reduction in Ghana

Poverty reduction in Ghana has attracted varied approaches. Over the recent past decade, the government implemented a number of programmes tailored to reduce poverty. These include the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP), School Feeding Programme, National Health Insurance Scheme, Capitation Fund and Poverty Reduction Support Credit. Recent data on poverty indicate that Ghana has achieved the first target of the Millennium Development Goal 1 (MDG 1). Beyond these poverty reduction programmes are children who contribute immeasurably to household poverty reduction, yet are largely unnoticed and least focused. As ‘invisible’ contributors, children’s role in socio-economic activities in agriculture (farming and fishing), commerce and other household endeavours are worth studying and reporting. The paper used both quantitative and qualitative data from a child-mobility research in four different settlement types namely urban, peri-urban, rural and remote-rural settlements in both Central and Brong Ahafo Regions. Using a survey questionnaire, a total of 1000 in school and out-of-school children aged between eight and 18 years. In addition, in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, life histories and ethnographic dairies were used to collect qualitative data from children and adults in each of the settlements. Selected children from basic and secondary schools as well as personnel from the Departments of Geography and Regional Planning and Population and Health constituted the young and adult researchers. The findings revealed that a week preceding the survey, 55% of the children assisted parents/guardians on the farm, about 25% sold at the market (largely by hawking) and less than 3% took care of herds in the fields on behalf of their parents. Some of the children who sold earned between GHȼ7 and GHȼ15 per day to support household income. In addition, the children undertook varied household activities such as taking care of younger siblings. This enabled their parents to have adequate time to engage in socio-economic activities. Children’s contribution to household income and by extension, poverty reduction cannot be underemphasized. Their involvement in the socio-economic space needs to be further explored as a means of evaluating and reconceptualizing their contributions. By so doing these invisible contributors can be recognized and acknowledged

Source: UCC
Children, morality and abusive words: The Ghanaian perspectives

In almost every Traditional-Akan society in Ghana, generally one observes and listens to growing up child say words such as „mummy or daddy‟. Addition to these words is some few names of familiar people that the child struggles to mention accurately. How surprising it may look or sound, the successive words the child may speak are those words that are abusive upon hearing. However, one may want to understand the where and why children use abusive words as part of their choice of diction. Secondly, can we say whether these children comprehend the ethical/moral implications of the use of these words in their world of life? By joining this ethical/moral discourse, this paper seeks to find out the source(s), children‟s understanding of abusive words by paying particular attention to words like „aboa‟, „kwasia‟ and „wo maame‟. The paper concludes by suggesting some pragmatic measures that parents, teachers and guardians in Ghana can adopt to make sure that children do not become acquainted to the use of abusive words in the society

Source: UCC
Children’s belief and self-efficacy of computer usage along the coastal belt of Ghana: a case study of La Dadekotopon municipality in the Greater Accra region.

Information and Communication Technology is very important in all endeavours of human life in this modern society. Its benefits have been manifested in different areas including commerce on business model, market structure, workplace, labour market, education, health, private life and society as a whole. Based on the research objectives, interview and observation were the main instruments used for the study. Qualitative research approach was employed focusing on ethnological study. A sample size of 20 participants which consisted of 10 children and 10 parents were involved. From the interview and the observation, it was revealed that children had positive beliefs about learning ICT. They had the belief that ICT is very beneficial to their daily life activities as well as their future career. Children had much confidence in learning ICTs at home. The findings revealed that most children lack access to IT tools at home and the most common accessible ICT tools to the children were radio, television, tape recorder, and computer while complex ICT tools that demand software applications internet, combo games, video recorder, writing software were not common to them. Challenges children faced in accessing and using ICT tools were the high cost of ICTs tools, limited accessibility and network connection, negative perceptions, limited time, lack or inadequate knowledge and skills were the most challenging factors. It was recommended that community ICT resources centres should be established for cluster communities so that children can have access to other ICT tools to increase their access and boost their confidence level.

Source: UCC
Chiral task-specific solvents for mandelic acid and their impact on solution thermodynamics and crystallization kinetics

The synthesis and application of enantiopure short-chain mandelic acid esters as chiral task-specific solvents were investigated for the determination of hetereochiral interactions between chiral solutes and chiral solvents. Because of specific chiral interactions between the mandelic acid enantiomers as solutes and the S-configured solvents for this chiral system, asymmetric behavior was elucidated. Differences for (R)- and (S)-mandelic acid were determined with respect to solution thermodynamics and crystallization kinetics for the chiral solvents (S)-mandelic acid n-propyl ester [(S)-n-propyl mandelate] and (S)-mandelic acid isopropyl ester [(S)-isopropyl mandelate]. These differences were explained via evaluation of enantiospecific interactions applying molecular modeling methods

Source: UCC