Abstract:
The main purpose of this thesis was to examine the challenges and constraints of hospitality
and tourism education in Ghana. It was specifically directed towards identifying factors
hindering the development of hospitality and tourism education in Ghana, exploring the
effectiveness of competency skills learnt in school and it relevant to the job market and the
significant of a closer industry/academe relationship for hospitality and tourism
development in Ghana. The study employed descriptive research design and made use of
mixed methods as such both qualitative and quantitative techniques for data collection and
analyses were used. A non-probability cross-sectional survey was used to sample 76
graduate employees from three hotels in Accra, in addition to 9 lecturers from Accra
Polytechnic. Three in-depth interviews were conducted in totality, two from line managers
or supervisors from the hotels and an head of department. Chi-square, Correlation and Phi
Coefficient of Association were the main tests and analytical tools used in this study. The
study revealed that, indeed factors such as educators not providing realistic information to
students leading to “reality shock” when they enter the industry, hospitality and tourism
education and training not corresponding to industry’s career path in Ghana, unrealistic
career expectations leading to early exit by graduates and lack of resources allocation and
support are militating against the development of hospitality and tourism in Ghana. Again,
it came out that most hotels employ more polytechnic graduates than graduates from the
universities. The policy implications here is that the polytechnic should be encouraged to
stick to their core mandate of providing practical and technical training to meet the needs
of the industry.
Description:
A Dissertation in the Department of HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM
EDUCATION, Faculty of VOCATIONAL EDUCATION, submitted to the School
of Graduate Studies, University of Education, Winneba, in Partial fulfilment of the
requirements for the award of Master of Technology Education (Catering and
Hospitality) degree.
DECEMBER, 2015