Assessment of School Governance Practices in Senior High Schools in Ghana

Abstract

Corporate governance is a crucial component to any institutional management and it is, therefore, a requirement for any learning institution. In Ghana, the educational institutions are organised, controlled and managed by the school governing bodies. However, financial irregularities, poor leadership and mismanagement of such institutions has been cited over the years. The purpose of this study was to assess school governance practices in public senior high school in Cape Coast Metropolis, Ghana. The study was guided by agency and stakeholder theories of corporate governance development. Descriptive, cross-sectional survey was utilised in the study. The study population was all members of school governing bodies in public senior high schools in Cape Coast Metropolis, Ghana. The study sample was 150 school governing bodies which comprised 30 headmasters, 10 secretaries, 20 accountants and 90 teachers. Census technique was used in selecting headmasters, secretaries and accountants while simple random sampling technique was used in selecting the teachers. Questionnaire was used in collecting primary data. The instrument was validated by two experts review in order to ensure face and content validity. Descriptive statistics was used to analyse the data. The study found that leadership practices, strategy and value and financial management practices are incorporated and implemented to a moderate extent in the senior high schools in Ghana. The study recommended that the school governing bodies should fully incorporated and implemented school governance principles (leadership practices, strategic and value, and financial management) in the senior high schools in Ghana. Finally, Ministry of Education in partnership with other agencies should organise seminars, conferences, training and workshops for all members of school governing bodies so that their knowledge and skills will be upgraded in school governance.