The Realities of Teacher Distribution in Primary and Junior High Schools in Ghana: Experiences of Rural Areas in Sekyere Central District

Abstract

The study critically looked at teacher distribution in Ghana's Primary and Junior High Schools in Sekyere
 Central District; in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. Data were gathered from Education Monitoring Information Systems (EMIS) from the District Education Office, Nsuta for the analysis. Evidence from the rural communities in teacher deployment for the 2021 academic year for 10 rural Primary Schools and 5 Junior High Schools depicted a gloomy picture because there was uneven teacher deployment to these areas where their services are needed. There was a huge teacher deficit in the rural communities so the question of quality and equitable education will not be achieved if policymakers fail to provide incentive packages to the rural teachers. The paper recommends that rural teachers' conditions of service should be different from those of their colleagues in the urban areas. When this is done, teacher manpower utilization and retention of teachers in rural communities would be improved.

The Asian Conference on Education & International Development 2024 Official Conference Proceedings

“…The finding that fewer females teach science in remote areas is worth noting. Because is reported from earlier studies that there are few female teachers in remote areas (Azewara et al, 2021;Mulkeen, 2006). It is not just systemic failure (UNESCO, 2001) but the female teachers are not ready to accept postings to teach science in remote areas (Azewara et al, 2021;Mitchell & Yang, 2012).…”

“…Because is reported from earlier studies that there are few female teachers in remote areas (Azewara et al, 2021;Mulkeen, 2006). It is not just systemic failure (UNESCO, 2001) but the female teachers are not ready to accept postings to teach science in remote areas (Azewara et al, 2021;Mitchell & Yang, 2012). The justification for staying and teaching science in a remote area on the basis of being a native and having family living around (Pryor & Ampiah, 2003) is not good for professionalism.…”

“…In analyzing teachers' gender in some African countries, it was reported that in Malawi, 82% of the teachers in the urban areas were females while 31% were females in the remote areas; in Mozambique, about 80% of the teachers were females, but they were unwilling to accept postings to the remote areas, and in Uganda and Tanzania, most female teachers are concentrated in urban areas and that it was difficult to attract female teachers to remote areas (Mulkeen, 2006). In Sekyere Odumasi District, Ghana, in 10 primary schools and five JHS in remote areas, Azewara, Korankye, Amankwah, and Takyi (2021) reported that there were only four female teachers in the JHS compared to 27 male teachers, and no female teacher in the primary compared to 35 males in the primary. There are also widespread beliefs that women are 'natural' teachers for young children (Mitchell & Yang, 2012).…”