This thesis explored the uses of continuous assessment and the experiences of lower attaining pupils in primary and junior secondary schools at Agona and Affutu Districts in Ghana. The study adopted a range of data collection methods including: self-completed questionnaires, semi-structured and focus groups interviews. A systematic sample of 107 primary and junior secondary teachers answered questionnaires and 12 teachers from the cohort were interviewed. Additionally, four focus groups of Primary 6 lower attaining pupils were interviewed. The main findings of the study were: • The majority of the teachers in the study felt strongly that continuous assessment enabled teachers to support lower attaining pupils to improve. • The teachers reported in the interviews that they used the same approach to assess all pupils including lower attainers in classrooms; this caused the pupils to perform poorly and eventually repeat classes. • The teachers identified policy, larger classes and lack of training as barriers to supporting lower attainers to improve. • Lower attaining pupils in the study reportedly became anxious, frustrated, and helpless before and during class tests, and upset when they failed. • They identified difficult tasks, lack of self-regulated learning and supportive environments as barriers to participating in class tests. The findings have implications for policy, practice, research, teacher training and professional development.

Violence against students in the name of school discipline has led in many instances to hardship, and in extreme situations, the death of students in the Ghanaian secondary system (see myjoyonline.com, 2015). As a former secondary school teacher and now teacher educator, this presents an obvious motivation for examining the concept and actuality of school discipline in Ghana with the intention of finding potential for a change of approach in policy, teacher professionalism and practice. Behaviour management presents an established scope for educational research globally and has been researched for some years (Powel and Tod, 2004). The term Positive Behaviour Management (PBM) is used to denote forms of behaviour management in school that seeks to ensure that the dignity and self-esteem of students are safeguarded (e.g. Raths 1964; Wolfe 1991; Black and William 1998; Grundy & Blandford 2006; Brookfield 2006; Hayes et al. 2011). A qualitative case-study of four state Senior High Schools in Ghana was conducted using semi-structured interviews, observation and documents analysis. A sample of 28 respondents; 20 members of staff (headteachers or their assistants, senior house masters/mistress and subject teachers) and eight students, voluntarily participated in this research. Drawing on Foucault’s concepts of Normalisation, Surveillance and Regulation as tools of analysis and Ball’s (1987) theory on school micro-politics, an analysis of the data and policy documents was done. Findings suggest that physical and emotional abuses are widespread, propelled by teacher perceptions and school policy prescriptions that punishment must be painful, reformative and deterrent. In addition, they reveal negative consequences of physical and emotional abuses, rampant student suspensions from school and an obsolete policy on school discipline. The research therefore suggests an alternative approach to behaviour management which should be contained in policy reforms, changes in teacher training, general policy reforms, and professional practice.

Educational subsidies are becoming important mechanisms in promoting access to education among many countries. In Ghana, subsidy for Secondary Education is available to all students irrespective of their income backgrounds with the government granting only partial subsidies. Despite the strong political commitment to redress historical inequities in educational funding mechanisms, policy actions in relation to Secondary Education Financing in Ghana appear to fall short of achieving the desirable goals when viewed through a vertical equity philosophical perspective. It was against this background that this study sought to explore the management of educational subsidies in public Senior High Schools in Ghana and its implications for enhancing meaningful access and participation in Secondary Education. Although the education financing field presents a landscape and proliferation of theories, this study employed the vertical equity theory as its theoretical foundation. The study employed the concurrent triangulation research strategy by incorporating both positivist and interpretivist paradigms (combining both qualitative and statistical analysis). This was necessary because of the wide range of data needed to draw the necessary conclusion on effective funding mechanism for Secondary Education. Heads of Senior High Schools, management of the Secondary Education Division of the Ghana Education Service and parents of students at the secondary school level participated in the study. Both primary and secondary data were collected. Interview guides were used in the collection of qualitative data while statistical data were collected from EMIS. Statistical data analysis was done using Microsoft Excel. The qualitative data from the interviews were thematically analysed using data transcription. The study found out that, social accountability mechanisms to monitor how heads of schools utilised their allocated funds are highly ineffective due to lack of transparency. There were weak internal controls and monitoring systems. The releases of the subsidy have been unduly delayed due to government inability to release the funds on time. The subsidy as a mechanism of financing Secondary Education in Ghana is quite inequitable; giving students with different needs the same amounts of resources. There is the need to verify the enrolment figures submitted by heads of schools for the subsidies before disbursement of funds are made while ensuring that the relevant stakeholders are involved in the management of the funds. Government alone cannot afford to provide secondary education hence a cost sharing policy seems to be the optimal choice in providing adequate funds to schools. However, it is essential to ensure that the poor who lack the ability to pay in a cost sharing system are targeted and their education paid for by the government. Again policies in relation to education financing must consider the principles of equity, affordability, adequacy and efficiency. The implication therefore is the formulation of an objective, targeting mechanism to cater for those who cannot pay.