Tracking of secondary school students in Ghana: Support or hindrance to teaching and learning?

• In Event: Improving teacher education

Proposal

The Context
Tracking of students is practiced in Ghana’s educational system. This streaming is done at the secondary school level. The Ghana Education Service (a body responsible for basic and secondary education in Ghana) has categorized secondary schools into Category A, B, and C. These school categories reflect education quality, schools academic performance and resources afforded to students who attend schools in each category. Schools in category A are more resourced than in B and far more resources than in C (Chanimbe & Prah, 2020). While streaming students based on attainment level has been found to have positive impact on schooling experiences of students and teachers in high group (Kulik & Kulik 1982; Kerckhoff 1986; Ireson & Hallam 2001; Steenbergen-Hu, Makel, & Olszewski-Kubilius, 2016), the case is different for teachers and students in the low groups (Ansalone, 2010; Campbell, 2014; Chmielewski, et. al., 2013; Francis, et. al, 2019, 2020; McGillicuddy & Devine, 2018). Extant literature has demonstrated that categorizing students by attainment level has significant social and educational consequences for teachers and students in low rated schools (Amedome & Fiagbe, 2013; Campbell, 2014; Chmielewski, et. al., 2013; Francis, et. al, 2019, 2020; McGillicuddy & Devine, 2018). Notwithstanding, studies on categorization of secondary schools in Ghana have largely focused on the impact on schools (Amedome & Fiagbe, 2013) and students (Baidoo-Anu, Gyamerah & Chanimbe, 2022). No research has been done to explore the experiences of teachers and students in Category C (Low school) schools. The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of between-school streaming on the social and academic outcomes of students and instructional practices of teachers in category C. The following research question guided the study.
What are the experiences of teachers and students in ‘undervalued secondary schools’ (Category C) in Ghana?
Methods
The study employed a qualitative transcendental phenomenological approach. I used purposive criterion sampling to select secondary school students and teachers from Category C schools. Ten final year students within the age range 18-19years were selected from three selected Category C schools. Two teachers were selected from each of the three selected schools, hence, in total 6 teachers were selected for this study. The study received ethical clearance from the district’s school board in Ghana where the study participants were selected. I ensured anonymity of participants. Unstructured interviews were used for this study. Moustakas’s (1994) systematic inductive data analysis procedure and guidelines in the data analysis was used for this study. Each participant’s transcript was carefully read more than once. Key concepts in each participant’s transcript were highlighted. After initial familiarization with the data, Moustakas’s four systematic inductive data analysis procedures were followed⎼ (a) horizontalization, (b) clusters of meaning, (c) structural description, and (d) essential, invariant structure (or essence)..
Results
Based on the outcome of the interviews with teachers and students, eight major themes emanated.
Students’ Themes
Socio-Emotional Effects on Students
Generally, students in this study reported that they experience low self-esteem and low academic self-efficacy. Out of the 10 students interviewed, 8 reported that they experience low self-esteem and are less confident about their academic abilities. However, two of the students reported that although they experience low self-esteem, they’re confident about their academic abilities. Students seem to belittle themselves and their academic abilities upon realizing that they have been placed in Category C schools. This is because they feel Category C schools are undervalued schools and students in Category C schools are not brilliant.
Access to teaching/learning materials
All students in this study reported that there are inadequate teaching and learning resources and physical infrastructures in their school. Most students in our study reported that although the school offers science as a program but lacks a science resource center/laboratory to undertake practical experiments.
Teachers/community Expectations
Most of the students in this study reported that some of their teachers and community members look down on them, especially their academic abilities. They have labelled them as less intelligent compared to those in valued schools.

Motivation to Learn
Students in this study reported experiencing less motivation to learn which is largely occasioned by lack/inadequate teaching and learning resources, perception of their academic abilities and teachers’ and communities’ expectations of them. It is not surprising that students in these schools are less motivated to learn given that they lack basic teaching and learning resources that will make learning interesting and engaging.
Teachers’ Themes
Inequalities in Working/Teaching Conditions
Teachers in Category C schools reported inequalities in working/teaching conditions as compared to valued schools (category A and B). They indicated lack or inadequate basic teaching and learning resources which significantly affect the quality of their instructional practices.

Job Dissatisfaction
The study found a greater degree of job dissatisfaction among teachers in this study. This dissatisfaction largely emanates from teachers perceived inequitable working/teaching conditions, lack of incentive benefit.

Low Teachers’ Retention and Students’ Enrolment
All the teachers interviewed in this study reported that given the opportunity they will change their current school and seek transfer to high streamed school. Others also reported that they are actively seeking to get transferred. Most of these teachers’ decision to get transferred was attributed to the stressful nature of teaching in low streamed schools.

Low Students’ Expectations
Teachers in this study indicated having low expectations of students’ academic abilities. Since, students are placed in different streams of school based on their abilities, teachers already know that their students are not academically good. Teachers’ perception about students shapes their instructional practices.

Scholarly significance
Findings from this study has accentuated some unintended effects of the secondary school categorization on schooling experiences of some teachers and students in Category C secondary schools in Ghana. Findings from this study could be a starting point for the Ghana ministry of education to investigate students and teachers experiences in the broader scope and restructure categorization of secondary schools in a way that provides equitable learning opportunities for all students regardless of their academic abilities.

Authors

• Ernest Ofori Sasu, ADA COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

• David Baidoo-Anu, Faculty of Education Queen's University