Exploring the intentions of school leaders towards implementing inclusive education in secondary schools in Ghana

Opoku, Maxwell Peprah

doi:10.1080/13603124.2021.1889034

Cited by 14 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 44 publications

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“…In effect, teachers do not have the requisite teaching and learning materials to teach students (Subbey, 2020). Moreover, because of lack of funding, school leaders have been unable to provide professional development to teachers (Subbey, 2020;Opoku, 2021). This has contributed to the inability of teachers to offer quality teaching services to children with disabilities in regular classrooms, thereby reenergising discussions around the need for educational reforms to enhance inclusive practices (Lamptey et al, 2015).…”

Section: Research Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The self-efficacy of private school teachers toward the implementation of inclusive education in Ghana: A mixed-methods study

Opoku

Nketsia²,

Mohamed³

2022

Front. Educ.

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BackgroundAlthough efforts toward practicing inclusive education have stalled in countries such as Ghana, the available data have mainly centred on enacting inclusive education in public schools. With private schools being notable alternative service providers to public schools, understanding private school teachers’ perceived self-efficacy toward teaching students with disabilities in the classroom is essential.MethodTo develop insights into inclusive practices, a two-phase mixed-methods design was adopted for this study. In the first phase, 82 teachers from six private schools responded to the self-reported Teacher Efficacy for Inclusive Practice (TEIP) scale. In the second phase, there were 10 participants, including principals (n = 3), heads of department (n = 4) and teachers (n = 3). While the quantitative data were subjected to confirmatory factor analysis, t-tests, analysis of variance and linear regression, the qualitative data were analysed thematically using the components of the TEIP scale as a priori themes.ResultThe study confirmed the structural validity of the TEIP scale in measuring teachers’ self-efficacy and the correlations and covariances between efficacy in managing behaviour and performing instruction and collaboration. There was divergence between the quantitative and qualitative data and background variables, such as educational qualifications, pre-service training in inclusive education and participation in professional development, which provided additional insights into the teachers’ self-efficacy.ConclusionThe findings show that some private school teachers teach students with disabilities despite having no confidence in their capabilities. The study findings underscore the need to create more training opportunities for private school teachers to enhance their confidence in practicing inclusive education in schools.

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Section: Research Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This study forms part of a larger study on the effectiveness of inclusive practices in secondary school (Opoku et al, 2020, Opoku et al, 2021aOpoku, 2021). Teachers serving in private junior and senior secondary schools were invited to participate in this study.…”

Section: Study Participantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The self-efficacy of private school teachers toward the implementation of inclusive education in Ghana: A mixed-methods study

Opoku

Nketsia²,

Mohamed³

2022

Front. Educ.

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“…For the purposes of this study, IE is broadly conceptualized as the creation of opportunities for the effective participation of all children in regular education, regardless of their abilities, culture, race, and ethnicity, so that they have unfettered access to neighborhood schools (Ainscow & Sandill, 2010). However, in most SSA countries including Ghana, education is based on meritocracy (Opoku, 2021; Opoku et al, 2022). Students are screened based on their abilities, and once they can read and pass examinations, they are deemed educable.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Attitudes and Self-Efficacy of Preservice Teachers Toward Teaching Gifted and Talented Students

Opoku

Nketsia

Amponteng

et al. 2023

Journal for the Education of the Gifted

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Teacher training is fundamental to the success of gifted and talented education (GATE). Unfortunately, in sub-Saharan Africa, which is still in the early stages of practicing inclusive education, knowledge about GATE is limited because preservice teacher training programs have yet to prioritize this subject area. The aim of this exploratory study was to examine the attitudes and self-efficacy of 304 preservice teachers regarding GATE at three education colleges in Ghana. Using Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behavior as a framework, the results show a positive association between attitude and self-efficacy, with the latter emerging as a significant predictor of the former. Other background variables—such as gender, knowledge of inclusive education policy, specialization, and level of study—provide insights into the attitudes and self-efficacy of preservice teachers. Also discussed is the need for teacher training institutions to introduce training courses and develop culturally responsive policies, guidelines, and strategies for GATE.

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“…For example, they are denied access to education as teachers hold negative attitudes toward them [ 22 ]. In an effort aimed at practicing inclusive education, some teachers are also hesitant to include them because of feelings of inadequacy regarding their teaching skills [ 14 , 22 – 25 ]. In employment, people with IDs are often overlooked by employers and sidelined from any form of income generation activities [ 9 , 11 , 12 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Furthermore, in both countries, teachers in regular classrooms generally reject the idea of practicing inclusive education for students with IDs [ 9 , 54 , 56 , 58 ]. They believe that they were not trained to teach students with IDs in regular classrooms [ 24 , 25 , 56 ], thereby leaving students with IDs to access education in special schools [ 7 , 58 ]. However, there are limited special school facilities to accommodate the growing population of individuals with IDs in both countries [ 8 , 58 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cross-national study of communal attitudes toward individuals with intellectual disabilities in sub-Saharan Africa: Cameroon vs. Ghana

et al. 2021

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Background An intellectual disability (ID) is characterized by a deficit in the functional, cognitive, and adaptive skills required for independent living. Due to the low cognitive capabilities of individuals with IDs, they have become victims of marginalization, exclusion, and denial of their fundamental rights to basic necessities in societies around the world. While efforts are being made to improve service provision to and acceptance of individuals with disabilities, the extent of communal acceptance and recognition of these individuals as equal members of society remains underexplored in sub-Saharan African countries such as Cameroon and Ghana. Objective As attitudes toward individuals with IDs are pivotal in shaping national policies, this cross-national study examined communal attitudes toward persons with IDs in Cameroon and Ghana. Method The Community Living Attitude Scale for Intellectual Disabilities (CLAS-ID) was used to collect data from a total of 741 university students in the two countries. The validity of the scale was assessed using confirmatory factor analysis and principal component analysis. The association between the background variables and attitudes was examined using t-tests, analysis of variance, linear regression, and two-way factor analysis. Results The results showed the validity of the CLAS-ID as a valid tool for measuring communal attitudes toward individuals with IDs in sub-Saharan Africa. The participants appeared ambivalent about attitude towards individuals with ID and other findings showed no association between attitudes and variables such as gender, relation, and contact with individuals with IDs. Conclusion We discuss the need for innovative approaches aimed at changing attitudes toward individuals with IDs in sub-Saharan Africa as well as other study implications.

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Exploring the intentions of school leaders towards implementing inclusive education in secondary schools in Ghana

Cited by 14 publications

References 44 publications

The self-efficacy of private school teachers toward the implementation of inclusive education in Ghana: A mixed-methods study

The self-efficacy of private school teachers toward the implementation of inclusive education in Ghana: A mixed-methods study

Attitudes and Self-Efficacy of Preservice Teachers Toward Teaching Gifted and Talented Students

Cross-national study of communal attitudes toward individuals with intellectual disabilities in sub-Saharan Africa: Cameroon vs. Ghana

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