ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Educational background of social studies teachers and its effects on pupils’ academic performance in public junior high schools in Mfantseman Municipality

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the educational background of Social Studies teachers and how it relates with pupils’ academic performance in Public Junior High Schools in Mfantseman Municipality. The study was carried out in all the 103 Public Junior High Schools in the Municipality. The researcher’s main focus was on Social Studies teachers’ educational background and pupil’s academic performance. A descriptive survey was used for the study. The sample for the study was made up of all the Social Studies teachers in the Mfantseman Municipality numbering 103. The purposive sampling method was used to collect data. A seven item questionnaire was developed made up of close-end six (6) questions with one likert scale. The results of the study show that majority (41.7%) of social studies teachers have professional status with diploma in education. Most of the teachers have taught for less than ten years. Academic performance of pupils over the last four years (2009-2012) was average and there is a weak positive relationship between educational background of social studies teachers and academic performance of pupils in the Municipality.

Source: UCC
Educational Leadership and Quality Education in Disadvantaged Communities in Ghana and Tanzania.

Achieving quality in education has increasingly become crucial in strategic improvement plans of developing countries. While the concept of quality and its priority indicators may differ from country to country, it is commonly considered as a determining factor in facilitating the implementation of education for all initiatives (Boissiere, 2004; World Bank Independent Evaluation Group, 2006). Quality in education is also viewed as an influential factor in implementing plans for bridging the poverty gaps between the developing and the developed worlds. At the centre of strategies for accelerating the achievement of quality education is effective leadership at all levels of the school system. This paper seeks to examine country context perspectives of quality education and leadership challenges associated with their implementation. It will compare existing basic education quality improvement policy initiatives within Ghana and Tanzania. Of particular interest will be the identification of some major similarities and differences in the way Ghanaians and Tanzanians educators perceive and conceptualize their school leadership roles in the context of quality education

Source: UCC
Educational Reforms and the Role of Polytechnic Education in the Socio- economic Development of Ghana.

This paper contributes to the debate on the educational reforms and the role of the polytechnics in economic development of Ghana. The paper was an outcome of a review of secondary data supported by interviews with, polytechnic Rectors, polytechnic administrators and government officials across seven polytechnics in Ghana. Purposive sampling technique was used to select the key informants and qualitative analysis procedure was used. The study examined the educational development from the colonial period as bases for Ghana educational system today, the period of internal self-governance, the impact of the education development and reforms that took place in 1987. Following the educational reforms, the polytechnics became part of the institutional network responsible for the training of the middle man-power for the socio-economic development of the Ghana. Apart from raising the political and social awareness of citizens in Ghana, the polytechnics have witnessed the unprecedented growth and expansion from the 1990s to date. Many polytechnic trainees who became successful entrepreneurs have provided employment to other citizens in Ghana. They provided the alternative route aimed at easing pressure on the traditional universities and also promoted and encouraged scholarship and community service within Ghana. In that sense, they have made a significant strives as centres for excellence for the development of human resource for national development. The paper calls for government to pay more attention to the polytechnics in Ghana and backed all initiative to develop the country’s polytechnics by legislation

Source: UCC
Educational Resource Deprivation and Its Effect on Access to and Quality Basic Education in Ghana

ABSTRACT Basic schools in Ghana continue to contend with inadequate educational resources. This demands that the scarce educational resources available are deployed efficiently and effectively. This study, therefore, sought to develop an educational resource deprivation index, by simulating the Alkire-Foster Method for Multi-dimensional Poverty Index (MPI) termed the Multidimensional Educational Resource Deprivation Index (MERDI) to measure the extent of resource deprivation in Basic Schools in Ghana. It additionally evaluated the performance and importance of the indicators of the MERDI. Finally, the study examined the effect of the indicators of the MERDI on quality and access to education. The MERDI was developed using data from the Annual School Census (ASC Data) (2015/16 to 2018/19) to appreciate the trend in the distribution of education resources. Also, the Importance-Performance Map Analysis was carried out using the 2018/19 Education Census Data, while panel data analysis was used to estimate the effect of the variables of the MERDI on quality and access to Basic Education using the ASC data and BECE pass rate (2015/16 to 2018/19). The study revealed that the extent of educational resource deprivation has improved from 45.1% in 2015/16 to 35.4% in 2018/19 with higher regional disparities. The incidence has also improved from 83.6% to 77.9% while the intensity of the deprivation in Ghanaian basic schools changed from 49.6% to 46.7% with the northern sector of the country, especially the Brong Ahafo Region recording the highest levels of deprivation. Most public basic schools are more deprived as compared to private basic schools. Again, Textbooks (SFR6), Library books (SFR4), Teacher-Pupil Ratio (HR3), and Teacher Quality (HR2) depict higher performance and priority in influencing the MERDI. Moreover, the extent of educational resource deprivation affects the quality and access to basic education. The study recommends the adoption of the MERDI as a guiding index in the distribution of educational resources in Ghana.

Source: UCC
Educational Theories Inherent in Jesus Christ’s Pedagogical Techniques and their Implications for Implementing the Early Childhood Curriculum

Effective teaching strategies tend to engender holistic development of learners. The study therefore, explores the educational theories inherent in Jesus Christ‟s pedagogical techniques and their implications for implementing the early childhood curriculum. The four New Testament Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) translated into English from the original Greek are primary sources of data for this study. Documentary analysis procedure was used to unearth the teaching strategies of Jesus Christ. The study revealed that Jesus used various forms of instructional strategies. On many occasions he used parables, questions and poetry to achieve his teaching goals such as critical thinking, internal change and harmonious living. Even though he had frequent interactions with individuals and small groups, he also lectured large crowds. Though he hardly ever used re-enactment as a teaching technique, he used it with such dexterity that it has become an essential teaching tool for his followers. His private and public use of prayer gave his learners content but also a model to follow. For learning in the affective domain he used apprenticeship. By the means of humour and silence, he modeled both how to teach and how to live. It was recommended to early childhood teachers to use teaching techniques which would help promote effective learning among the children. Finally, it was recommended to the teachers to be conversant with the kindergarten curriculum and to see to it that children-centered methods are employed to enhance effective teaching and learning in kindergarten classrooms.

Source: UCC
The Effcets of Irrigation and Fertilizer on Growth, Yield and Shelf Life of OFSP [Ipomea Batatas (L) Lam] Roots in Four Storage Structures

The objective of the research was to investigate the effects of irrigation levels, poultry manure (PM), cow dung (CD), NPK and their interactions on the growth and yield, quality and shelf life of Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato (OFSP) in evaporative cooling structures. Sixteen treatments (four levels of irrigation and four soil amendments) with three replicates were laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). Irrigation levels did not significantly influence soil physical properties studied (bulk density, pore volume and particle density). Water stress (application of 70 % CWR) increased root yield, water use efficiency, marketable root yield, jumbo root yield and number of roots per plant as compared to full irrigation while growth of leaves, branches and dry matter content were reduced. Soil amendment significantly improved root and marketable yield better under reduced irrigation (70 % CWR) than under full irrigation. PM, CD and NPK significantly increased marketable yields by 40.96 %, 30.34 % and 21.36 % respectively as compared to the control. Cool chamber evaporative structure (CC) reduced root percentage shrinkage, decay, weight loss and weevil infestation in storage while sprouting increased. Soil amendment significantly reduced percentage root decay. Reduced irrigation increased carotenoid and fibre content while sugar content of roots was decreased. Storage in evaporative cooling structure increased the percentage content of sugar, starch, fat, and phenol of roots while fibre, protein, and ash were reduced after 13 weeks of storage.

Source: UCC
The effec of human resource management on staff productivity at GCB bank limited

Diversity, in contemporary times, has progressively become a thorny issue in political, legal, corporate and educational circles. Managing diversity is founded on an acceptance of diversity and differences as positive attributes of an organization, rather than as inconveniences to be addressed. The focus of this study is to look at the extent to which employees’ perception about human resource diversity management practices have impacted productivity with particular reference to GCB Bank Ltd. The study further seeks to compare strategies adopted by GCB Bank Ltd to that of other organisations. Method of research adopted is descriptive explanatory. The selected population for this study is the staff of GCB Ltd. The bank has over 160 branches across the country with the same administrative structure. The head office houses the human resource management, marketing, public relations and national administrative directorate, whereas the various branches see to the day-to-day customer relations or consumer banking operations. The branches have the same structures and categories of employees across the entire length and breadth of the country. The selected branches are mainly located in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis: these are the Takoradi Main, Market Circle, Habour and the Sekondi branches. The management and operational structure is comparable to any other area in the country. Mainly questionnaires and face-to-face interviews were employed with tables and charts/ graphs as instruments used. As a result the findings can be seen as a reflection of what pertains in the region or any other part of the country. It is recommended that, human resource managers of organizations and for that matter, GCB Bank Limited harness the diversity aspects of its human resource to achieve greater result in service delivery. © University of Cape Coast https://erl.ucc.edu.gh/jspui Digitized

Source: UCC
Effect of 5e Learning Cycle Model, Computer Assisted Instruction and Conventional Approaches on Students‟ Achievement in Cell Division

This study explores the effectiveness of 5E Learning Cycle Model and Computer Assisted Instruction on senior high school students‟ achievement in Cell Division. To achieve this, the embedded mixed method designed was used. A total of 117 third / final year students were selected through multistage sampling technique to participate in the study. Three intact biology classes from three senior high schools in Gomoa East and Gomoa West Districts which offered the general science programme were selectd through simple random sampling technique. A pre-test-post-test non-equivalent control group quasi-experimental design with two experimental groups was employed to generate quantitative data. The students in all the groups were pretested before and post tested after going through the instruction with 30-item Cell Division Concept Achievement Tests (CDCAT). The qualitative data were obtained with interviews to gauge the views of the students‟ after being instructed with the 5E learning cycle and computer-assisted teaching approaches. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to analyse the quantitative data whilst open coding and constant comparison was used to analyse the qualitative data. The results showed no statistically significant difference in achievements among the study groups on the post-test. However, the students exposed to the 5E learning cycle and computer-assisted approaches showed positive attitudes towards the interventaional instructional approaches when they were interviewed. It was suggested that teachers could use the learning cycle and computer-assisted approaches to teach concepts students find difficult in Biology.

Source: UCC
The effect of a 3x3 full diallel crossing on the growth and reproductive performance of three rabbit breeds reared within the coastal savannah agro-ecological zone in Ghana

Data on a full diallel cross involving three rabbit breeds and its effects on some growth and reproductive traits were studied. Data on two thousand and thirteen (2,013) rabbits comprising eight hundred and five (805) purebred bunnies kindled in 60 litters and one thousand, two hundred and five (1,205) crossbred bunnies from 86 litters bred from 2010 to 2014 in five parities were first corrected for the fixed effects of sex, season of kindling and the does‘ age using the least significant differences (lsd) before the analysis was run using the Generalised Linear Model. Of the three breeds, the Chinchilla showed superior performance in both the reproductive and growth performance while the BV X CH crossbred showed superior performance in most of the economic traits that were assessed compared to the other crosses. The BV X NZ and NZ X CH crossbreds recorded significantly (p = <0.05) higher litter size at birth (6.8±0.1) and at weaning (6.9±0.1) respectively. The heterotic effects of both the main and reciprocal crosses were quite desirable for most of the economic traits. Notable among them was the age at sexual maturity, kindling interval and mortalities which recorded varying levels of negative heterosis. The reciprocal crosses exhibited some level of superiority in the growth traits (bunny weight at birth and the post-weaning growth rate) that recorded positive heterosis. The Chinchilla and BV X CH crossbred comparatively exhibited a higher level of superiority in the general and specific combining abilities in a number of the economic traits that recorded significant differences. The positive heterotic effects encourage the application of crossbreeding schemes in rabbit production for improved productivity within the coastal savannah agro-ecological zone of Ghana.

Source: UCC
Effect of Access to Financial Services on Poverty Reduction in Jomoro Municipality

ABSTRACT Poverty is a social problem that has eroded the quality of life of people, particularly those in the rural communities. At the same time, rural communities are found to have limited access to financial services such as micro-insurance, savings and remittances, and credit. This study, however, investigated the effect of access to financial services on poverty reduction in the Jomoro Municipality of Ghana. Access to financial services was proxied by three measures including access to credit, access to savings and remittances, and access to micro-insurance. The study employed the quantitative design and used both descriptive and regression analysis to assess the relative and combined effect of access to credit, access to savings and remittances, and access to micro-insurance on poverty reduction. The study obtained primary data from 399 households‟ members from the Jomoro Municipality in the Western region of Ghana. The main finding obtained from the study was that access to financial services in the form of access to credit, savings and remittances, and micro-insurance contributed to reducing poverty. The study recommends that rural households‟ members should imbibe the practice of savings while financial institutions such as insurance companies and banks should also assist rural households‟ members by extending access to credit and insurance to them so as to help reduce poverty.

Source: UCC
Effect of additives on the mechanical properties of some cement products

In this work the effect of additives on the mechanical properties of some cement products were studied. After a 14day curing period, it was observed that, at 20% replacement level, PBA gave a compressive strength of 10.204 N/mm 2 8.163N/mm 2. Similarly, compressive strengths of 5.405N/mm 2 and 14.80N/mm 2 were obtained for PBA and SDA respectively at 40% replacement level. These fell within the standard compressive strength for classes A, B and C blocks which are 4.0N/mm 2 (min.), 3.0N/mm 2 and 2.5N/mm 2 (min), respectively. With the 20% and 40% replacement with PBA and SDA showing these compressive strengths, a larger amount of cements meant for mortar preparation would be saved and the wastes disposal problems would be avoided. Similarly, the sanitation problem created from the palm oil production as well as the furniture industries would be reduced

Source: UCC
Effect of advertising on customers’ purchase intentions at Societe Generale Ghana Limited

The study was conducted to assess the effect of advertising on customers’ purchase intention for banking products in Ghana by specifically targeting customers of Societe Generale’s Head Office in Accra, in capital city of Ghana. The study employed explanatory design as the main research design and this was supported by the quantitative research approach dues to the nature of its scientific enquiry. The population consisted of 24676 customer and out of this, 399 of were surveyed through self-administration of structured questionnaire. Systematic sampling technique was used for the selection of the respondents. An internal consistency of 0.916 was recorded for the instrument. Multiple regression analysis and hierarchical multiple regression (inferential statistical techniques) and descriptive statistics were used for the primary data analysis. It was discovered that, the respondents were generally satisfied with the advertising strategy of Societe Generale. Furthermore, it was found that advertising roles accounted for 59.0% positive variance in customers’ purchase intention. Similarly, it was found that advertising dimension accounted for 40.0% positive variance in customers’ purchase intention for advertised brands. Satisfaction with advertising strategy mediated the predictive relationship between advertising role and purchase intention. Again, advertising dimension of Societe Generale’s adverts partially mediated the predictive relationship between advertising and purchase intention. Societe Gnerale must intensify its advertising strategy. Also, conducting periodic marketing research would provide reliable and well-informed marketing insights that can be relied by management to make economically justified decisions.

Source: UCC
Effect of African mahogany species on soil chemical properties in degraded dry semi-deciduous forest ecosystems in Ghana

The present study assesses the effect of mixed mahogany plantation on the chemical properties of the soil after 10 years from establishment in degraded semi-deciduous dry forests in Ghana. The specific aims were to evaluate the impact of mixed mahogany plantation on the soil chemical characteristics to a depth of 30 cm. With the exception of available P, all the chemical characteristics of the soil [the soil pH, Ca, Mg, base saturation, total exchangeable base (TEB) and CEC, organic carbon, organic matter and organic N] showed significantly higher values for soils sampled from mixed mahogany plantation stands when compared to the adjacent unreforested degraded site. In particular, the soil pH was significantly (P<0.0001, t-test) higher beneath mixed plantation stands (6.23) when compared to the adjacent unreforested degraded forest site (4.96). The degraded site recorded significantly (P<0.000, t-test) higher amounts of Al. The results showed a significant decline in the levels of all the chemical properties of the soil, considering that the depth of the soil profile at both sites. Mixed plantation of African mahogany species could be used as tool to catalyze natural regeneration and to facilitate restoration of degraded forest ecosystems in Ghana

Source: UCC
Effect of air-rest treatment on rice malt

To improve the malting qualities of rice grain, paddy rice (Jasmine 85) was air-rested for 2 to 8 h while in steep and malted for 12 days at 28 + 1oC. Out-of-steep moisture content, germination energy, shoot length, and diastatic activity of the rice grains were evaluated to determine the efficiency of the air-rest treatment. Air-rested rice grains absorbed 0.5 to 5% moisture more than the untreated (control). Six-hour air-rested grains absorbed the highest moisture content of 36.6% after 48 h of steeping. The highest germination energy (93%) and diastatic activity (1002 U/g dry malt) were recorded in the 6-hour air-rested grains. Moreover, malts resulting from this treatment had their optimum diastatic activity (2086 U/g dry malt) on the 8th day after germination, occurring earlier than the control (2001 U/g dry malt) which peaked at the 10th day. Applying air-rest treatment during rice malting improves its hydrolytic potential

Source: UCC
The Effect of Atuabo Gas Processing on the Environment And Community Livelihoods in Ellembelle District

ABSTRACT The study sought to provide insights into the effect of Atuabo Gas Processing Plant (GPP) on the environment and community livelihoods of some selected communities in the Ellembelle District. Using a quantitative survey design, a structured questionnaire was administered to assess the effects of gas production and processing on subsistence agriculture and on the physical environment, to analyse the potential impacts of gas production and processing on the coastal and marine ecosystems, and to examine and proffer sustainable coping strategies for residents to deal with the impact on livelihoods. A total of 147 participants were sampled using systematic and convenience sampling techniques. Data collected was then analysed with STATA 14. In addition, institutions and organizations that are related to gas production, environmental and health issues were engaged for relevant data. Findings from the study indicate that gas processing activities to an extent has brought about some livelihood challenges to the inhabitants of Anochie, Atuabo and Essiama and surrounding communities. The challenge is reflected in the loss of lands worsened by poor compensation, continuous decline in fish harvest, higher cost of living and among others. To mitigate such impacts, respondents adopted coping strategies broadly classified into Problem-Oriented Coping Strategies (POCS) and Social-Support Coping Strategies (SSCS). Against these findings, the study recommends among others the establishment of a committee to liaise with companies, government and the community to help mitigate and provide satisfactory compensation to parties affected by gas processing activities.

Source: UCC