Date of Conferral

2022

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Public Policy and Administration

Advisor

Mark Gordon

Abstract

AbstractWith declining academic standards in Ghana, public attention has been focused on education policies. In 1992, the amended constitution excluded traditional village leaders from being involved in formulating education policies in Ghana. The exclusion of grassroots leaders from education policy reform resulted in low expectations and poor student outcomes in the towns and villages of Ghana’s Avatime Traditional Area. This case study was an investigation into how traditional chiefs in the Avatime Traditional Area participate in democratic governance to improve education in the region. Joshee and Goldberg’s social justice theory in policy making was used to ground the study. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with a purposive sample of 13 chieftains in the Avatime Traditional Area of Ghana. Interview questions sought participants’ beliefs on how they can support education to improve educational outcomes in local schools. NVivo qualitative data analysis software was used to analyze the data based on the six-phase thematic method. Results indicate that chieftains performed nonstatutory roles, including giving education advice to clan members, parents, and students; disseminating information to the public; mobilizing resources; improving staff welfare; and supporting education policy. The results of this study have potential implications for positive social change by expanding understanding of the issue so that education leaders and policy makers may implement policies to include chieftains in expanding support for education in their communities. Ghana’s national policymakers may find new ways to engage chieftains in education policy development as a result of this study’s findings.

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