Adequate supervision and monitoring in public basic schools are fundamental to improving standards and performance of students in English Language, Mathematics and Science (EMS) in the Central Region, a study has shown.

The study, “Curriculum Delivery in English Language, Mathematics and Science at Basic Schools in Central Region” was conducted by researchers from the College of Education Studies, University of Cape Coast (UCC) and funded by the Directorate of Research and Innovation Consultancy (DRIC)-UCC.

The research team was made up of Prof. Ernest Kofi Davis (Lead Researcher), Prof. Mark Owusu Amponsah, Dr. Christopher Yaw Kwaah, Dr. Christopher Beccles, Mr. Seth Kofi Nti and Mr. Anthony Takyi.

The researchers presented a report on their findings at a dissemination forum with managerial staff and headteachers of the Cape Coast Metro Education Directorate of the Ghana Education Service) and funders of the research, DRIC-UCC.

Findings

Per the findings, “quite a number of teachers, especially from below average achieving schools were found using outmoded syllabus”.

The Lead Researcher, Prof. Ernest Kofi Davis, presenting findings of the research, noted that some teachers were still using 2007 syllabus to teach EMS, whilst three schools were found using the 2001 syllabus to teach Mathematics.

He said the research, conducted in 2019, was in seventeen (17) schools in the Cape Coast Metropolis, Mfansteman Municipality and the Assin District but the report delayed as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Prof. Davis, lead for the research team presenting the findings at the foru

Prof. Davis, lead for the research team presenting the findings at the forum

The findings, Prof. Davis noted, showed that teachers  were unable to cover many topics  in the three subject areas, especially in Grammar for English Language; Bearing, Vectors, as well as Shape and Space for Mathematics and, Chemical compounds and Basic Electronics for Science.

The study attributed the inability of teachers to cover all topics to “loss of instructional time through extra curricula activities”, he added.

The lead researcher observed that teachers mentioned work overload and the non-readiness of students to study as some of the reasons for the fallen standard of performance in EMS.

 “Generally, the topics students said they had difficulty in understanding reflected the topics the teachers said they skipped, or they had difficulty in teaching”, stressed Prof. Davis, who is also the Provost of the College of Education Studies-UCC.

 Recommendation

Among others, the research team recommended the need for the Ghana Education Service (GES) to step up supervision in public and private basic schools to avoid the situation where some teachers use the wrong curriculum.

A group photo of the Research Team and Participants in the forum

A group photo of the Research Team and Participants in the forum

The researchers suggested the GES should provide hard copies of curriculum to teachers, especially those in remote areas.

The study called for stakeholders to take a relook at the policy of mass promotion in basic schools which enabled pupils with abysmal performances to be promoted.

For his part, the Head of Human Resource at GES in the Cape Coast Metropolis, Mr. Kofi Apeatse Odum, asked the researchers to furnish the GES with the document to enable management get apprised.

He lauded the researchers and added that frantic steps would be taken to address the gaps the study found.

Source: Documentation and Information Section-UCC