School culture and its implication on the education of pupils: a case of Patasi M/A Junior High School in Kumasi, Ghana
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Date
October, 2015
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Abstract
The culture of schools have been widely studied and found to be a powerful force behind the education learners receive. Any attempt to improve learning in schools must take the
schools’ culture into consideration. This study aimed at inquiring into school culture and
its implication on the education of pupils at Patasi M/A Junior High School. This was
done through the use of interviews, questionnaire, observation and document analysis.
The relevant data were collected from stratified random sample of 65 pupils, 9 teachers, 5
non- teaching staff, 20 parents/guardians and 1 headmistress. The parents/guardians were
conveniently sampled on a PTA meeting day. The study finds out the school’s culture
with respect to its management, classroom organization and the handling of issues
relating to the school’s environment. The management culture is the all-inclusive
approach but the Ghana Education Service interferes with teachers’ decisions. The
majority of parents/guardians do not monitor their wards’ learning at home. Teachers
attend class on time and are open to all pupils although they (the teachers) do not believe
in the academic capabilities of the pupils. The physical conditions of the classrooms
(lighting, heat and ventilation) are not conducive for learning. The school compound is
not attractive to the pupils and is also not fenced off from the community. There is largely
uncontrolled trespassing. Pupils largely patronize authorized food vendors (non-teaching
staff) although a few sneak out to buy food from non-authorized food vendors. The
pupils’ education are both influenced positively and negatively by the school’s culture.
Positive cultures include the all-inclusive management and the good time management.
Negative ones include the GES interference, unfavorable classroom physical conditions
and the trespassing of the school’s compound. A standard assessment of the school
culture shows that the culture operating there is skewed towards the hierarchy type,
iv
meaning that Patasi M/A JHS is a formalized place of work. The researcher recommends more innovativeness and also a culture that is result-oriented.
Description
A thesis submitted to the School of Graduate Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Art Education,