Teachers participation in decision-making process of senior high schools in Krachi East Municipality, Oti region of Ghana

Abstract

The study aimed to unravel teachers’ participation in decision-making process of Senior High Schools in the Krachi East Municipality, Oti Region. The study was guided by the positivist paradigm with a descriptive survey design. A sample of 121 out of a population of 174, selected through simple random sampling procedure, was used for the study. The data were gathered with self-administered questionnaires and analysed using frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviations. The study established low teacher participation in decision-making process of the schools under the study. Also, the study revealed that, teachers rarely participate in decisions on areas such as managerial, school-related activities and policies of the schools but that of curriculum and instruction was found to be high. Lack of transparency, bureaucratic structures and lack of clarity on the part of school leaders were some of the identified factors affecting teachers’ participation in decision making and leaders of the schools do not make the environment conducive for teachers to participate in decisions of the schools. The conclusion is that, teachers were often left out in the decision making process of the schools under the study. The study, therefore, recommended the establishment of structures that could facilitate better teacher participation in decision making process of senior high schools in the Krachi East Municipality. A further study on why teachers are often left out in budget and finance decisions of schools is suggested.