Ensuring Sustainable Development in Africa through Education: A Ghanaian Case Study of Tackling Truancy
ABSTRACT
Effective formal education, beginning from the basic level, is paramount to a nation’s sustainable development; and Ghana strives to ensure an education process that will help it make progress. This study investigates the effects of one of the challenges to this good effort—truancy, on the academic performance of students at the junior high school level and makes recommendations for its management. Primary data were collected by the researchers from 100 respondents through semi-structured interviews and Lickert Scale type of questionnaires with a few fillins. The data were then computed and analyzed using the Statistical Package of Social Sciences version 16.0, and results presented in simple frequencies and tables. Findings from the study showed that there was a relationship between truancy and delinquency and as a result, truant children usually perform poorly in class and grow to become adult social misfits. Absenteeism was generally seen as a motivation for disinterest in formal education. The researchers recommend that it should be mandatory for teachers, agents of change and all other stakeholders of education to provide the needed motivation and logistics necessary for students to be punctual and regular to school to receive the requisite instructions to enhance performance.
Effective formal education, beginning from the basic level, is paramount to a nation’s sustainable development; and Ghana strives to ensure an education process that will help it make progress. This study investigates the effects of one of the challenges to this good effort—truancy, on the academic performance of students at the junior high school level and makes recommendations for its management. Primary data were collected by the researchers from 100 respondents through semi-structured interviews and Lickert Scale type of questionnaires with a few fillins. The data were then computed and analyzed using the Statistical Package of Social Sciences version 16.0, and results presented in simple frequencies and tables. Findings from the study showed that there was a relationship between truancy and delinquency and as a result, truant children usually perform poorly in class and grow to become adult social misfits. Absenteeism was generally seen as a motivation for disinterest in formal education. The researchers recommend that it should be mandatory for teachers, agents of change and all other stakeholders of education to provide the needed motivation and logistics necessary for students to be punctual and regular to school to receive the requisite instructions to enhance performance.
Cite this paper
Afful-Broni, A. and Sekyi, F. (2014) Ensuring Sustainable Development in Africa through Education: A Ghanaian Case Study of Tackling Truancy. Open Journal of Social Sciences, 2, 317-325. doi: 10.4236/jss.2014.24035.
Afful-Broni, A. and Sekyi, F. (2014) Ensuring Sustainable Development in Africa through Education: A Ghanaian Case Study of Tackling Truancy. Open Journal of Social Sciences, 2, 317-325. doi: 10.4236/jss.2014.24035.
References
[1] The 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana. Government of Ghana, State House, Accra. [2] Collins, D. (1998) Management and Leadership in Education: Managing Truancy in Schools. Cassell, New York. [3] O’Keeffe (1981) Labour in Vain: Truancy and the School Curriculum in a Flew. The Pied Of Education, Social Affairs Unit, London. [4] Yin, R.K. (1984) Case Study Research: Design and Methods. Sage Publications, Newbury Park. [5] Miles, M.B. and Huberman, A.M. (1984) Qualitative Data Analysis: A Sourcebook of New Methods. Sage Publications, Beverly Hills. [6] Afful-Broni, A. (2010) The School as a Social Unit: The Ghanaian Perspective. Smartline Publications, Accra. [7] Jacobs, M.A. (2008) Courts Let Public School Require Uniforms. The West Street Journal, 31. [8] Teasley, M.L. (2004) Absenteeism and Truancy: Risk, Protection, and Best Practice Implementation for School Social Workers. Children and Schools, 26, 117-128.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/cs/26.2.117 [9] Osarenren, M. (2002) Child Development and Personality. Asante and Hittscher Printing Press, Accra. [10] Eagle, E. (1989) Socioeconomic Status, Family Structure, and Parental Involvement: The Correlates of Achievement. In: Hernderson, A.T. and Berla, N., Eds., A New Generation of Evidence: The Family Is Critical to Students Achievement, Center for Law and Education, Washington DC, 55-60. [11] Hernderson, A.T. and Berla, N., Eds. (1994) A New Generation of Evidence: The Family Is a Critical to Student Achievement. Center for Law and Education, Washington DC, 59-60. [12] US Department of Education (1994) Strong Families, Strong Schools: Building Community Partnership for Learning. Washington DC. [13] Ziegler, S. (1987) The Effects of Parent Involvement on Children’s Achievement: The Significance of Home/School Links. In: Henderson, A.T. and Berla, Eds., A New Generation of Evidence: The Family Is Critical to Student Achievement, Center for Law and Education, Washington DC, 151-152. [14] Berger, K.S. (1983) The Developing Person through the Life Span. Worth Publishers, Inc., New York. [15] Bye, L. (2010) Truancy Prevention and Intervention. Oxford University Press, New York.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195398496.001.0001 [16] Garry, E.M. (1996) Truancy: First Step to a Life Time of Problems. Juvenile Justice Bulletin, 1-7. [17] McCray, E.D. (2006) Do You Know Where Your Children Are? The Persisting Issue of Truancy. Intervention in School Clinic, 42, 30-33.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/10534512060420010501 [18] Coles, B., Hutton, S., Bradshaw, J., Criag, G., Godfrey, C. and Johnson, J. (2002) Literature Review of the Cost of Being Not in Education, Employment or Training at Age 16-18. Research Report 347, Department for Education and Skills Publications, Nottingham. [19] Education at a Glance 2011. OECD Indicators. [20] Eaton, D.K., Brener, N. and Kann, L.K. (2008) Association of Health Risk Behaviours with School Absenteeism. Does Having Permission for the Absence make a Difference? Journal of School Health, 78, 223.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1746-1561.2008.00290.x
[1] The 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana. Government of Ghana, State House, Accra. [2] Collins, D. (1998) Management and Leadership in Education: Managing Truancy in Schools. Cassell, New York. [3] O’Keeffe (1981) Labour in Vain: Truancy and the School Curriculum in a Flew. The Pied Of Education, Social Affairs Unit, London. [4] Yin, R.K. (1984) Case Study Research: Design and Methods. Sage Publications, Newbury Park. [5] Miles, M.B. and Huberman, A.M. (1984) Qualitative Data Analysis: A Sourcebook of New Methods. Sage Publications, Beverly Hills. [6] Afful-Broni, A. (2010) The School as a Social Unit: The Ghanaian Perspective. Smartline Publications, Accra. [7] Jacobs, M.A. (2008) Courts Let Public School Require Uniforms. The West Street Journal, 31. [8] Teasley, M.L. (2004) Absenteeism and Truancy: Risk, Protection, and Best Practice Implementation for School Social Workers. Children and Schools, 26, 117-128.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/cs/26.2.117 [9] Osarenren, M. (2002) Child Development and Personality. Asante and Hittscher Printing Press, Accra. [10] Eagle, E. (1989) Socioeconomic Status, Family Structure, and Parental Involvement: The Correlates of Achievement. In: Hernderson, A.T. and Berla, N., Eds., A New Generation of Evidence: The Family Is Critical to Students Achievement, Center for Law and Education, Washington DC, 55-60. [11] Hernderson, A.T. and Berla, N., Eds. (1994) A New Generation of Evidence: The Family Is a Critical to Student Achievement. Center for Law and Education, Washington DC, 59-60. [12] US Department of Education (1994) Strong Families, Strong Schools: Building Community Partnership for Learning. Washington DC. [13] Ziegler, S. (1987) The Effects of Parent Involvement on Children’s Achievement: The Significance of Home/School Links. In: Henderson, A.T. and Berla, Eds., A New Generation of Evidence: The Family Is Critical to Student Achievement, Center for Law and Education, Washington DC, 151-152. [14] Berger, K.S. (1983) The Developing Person through the Life Span. Worth Publishers, Inc., New York. [15] Bye, L. (2010) Truancy Prevention and Intervention. Oxford University Press, New York.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195398496.001.0001 [16] Garry, E.M. (1996) Truancy: First Step to a Life Time of Problems. Juvenile Justice Bulletin, 1-7. [17] McCray, E.D. (2006) Do You Know Where Your Children Are? The Persisting Issue of Truancy. Intervention in School Clinic, 42, 30-33.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/10534512060420010501 [18] Coles, B., Hutton, S., Bradshaw, J., Criag, G., Godfrey, C. and Johnson, J. (2002) Literature Review of the Cost of Being Not in Education, Employment or Training at Age 16-18. Research Report 347, Department for Education and Skills Publications, Nottingham. [19] Education at a Glance 2011. OECD Indicators. [20] Eaton, D.K., Brener, N. and Kann, L.K. (2008) Association of Health Risk Behaviours with School Absenteeism. Does Having Permission for the Absence make a Difference? Journal of School Health, 78, 223.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1746-1561.2008.00290.x