Gender responsive practices and self-esteem among college of education students in Ashanti Region of Ghana

Abstract

The study investigated whether gender responsive practices in the Colleges of Education in Ashanti Region of Ghana could have effect on self-esteem of the college students and to determine whether differences existed between males and females regarding their self-esteem. The study employed a descriptive cross sectional survey design. The multistage sampling technique was used to select 360 college of education students in Ashanti Region to participate in the study. Questionnaire was the main instrument for data collection with reliability of .88 and .70 for gender responsive practices and self-esteem respectively. The study employed a descriptive crosssectional survey design. Data for the research question one was analysed using factor analysis whereas frequencies and percentages were used to analysed data on research question two. Logistic regression and independent sample t-test were used to test the hypotheses one and two respectively. The study revealed that most students (95.1%). Further, the study indicated that classroom practice, tutors challenging traditional gender roles and, activities and protocols as the main gender responsive practices in the college of education. The findings of the study also revealed that gender responsive practices in the Colleges of Education have influence on the students’ level of selfesteem with tutor challenging gender roles having the highest influence. With respect to gender and self-esteem difference among the students, the study revealed no statistically significant difference between males and females’ self-esteem. This implies that both males and female students possessed high levels of self-esteem and there will be decrease in students’ self-esteem if the colleges stop or reduce the intensity of ensuring the practice of gender responsive activities. The study therefore, recommended that management of the Colleges of Education, hall wardens and college administrators should maintain the standard of engaging the students in gender responsive practices in order to perpetuate the high level of self-esteem among the students.