Browsing by Author "Boateng, F.K."

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Examination of globalisation’s clouts on Ghana’s tertiary education policy
(Policy Futures in Education, 2023) Boateng, F.K.; Abonyi, U.
The paper examined and analysed the extent globalisation and its dimensions impinged Ghana’s tertiary education policy landscape in global and national historical and contemporary perspectives. Historical and contemporary policy documents and articles, that help to understand how glob alisation and its antecedents have interwoven and permeated the dynamics underpinning Ghana’s tertiary education policy, were used as conduits for the analysis. Within the context of structural adjustment and democratisation juggernauts triggered by the West, neoliberal reforms were initiated in the early 1990s. They were characterised by the liberalisation of the sector for the establishment of private tertiary education institutions, creation of buffer agencies to ensure ef fective stakeholder control in policy and quality assurance of those institutions, initiating laissez-faire financial reforms and incorporating non-governmental financial responsibility. Nonetheless, they concomitantly spurred the tertiary education institutions to drift towards entrepreneurialism and innovation through activities such as research, fee policies and collaborations with vital stake holders. Although the reforms were geared towards market, the Ghanaian system of tertiary education remains a quasi-market system with substantial governmental control
Understanding the drivers of student loan decision-making and its impact on graduation rates in Ghanaian public universities
(Policy Reviews in Higher Education, 2024) Mahmoud,A.; Intsiful, A.; Tuffour, P.; Boateng, F.K.
Higher education in countries like Ghana faces significant challenges, including financial barriers, which usually hinder students’ educational progress and graduation rates. While some students usually rely on family support and personal savings, these resources are generally insufficient for covering all educational expenses. Although student loans have emerged as a beacon of hope to address these challenges, research on this topic, particularly in developing countries, has remained underexplored. This study, grounded in the Theory of Planned Behaviour, investigates the psychological factors influencing Ghanaian students’ decisions to utilize student loans and the impact on graduation rates. Data is gathered from 114 Ghanaian students using a purposive sampling technique. The analysis reveals a positive correlation between favourable attitudes toward student loans and intentions to use them. Subjective norms significantly influence loan decisions, while perceived behavioural control has no significant impact. Also, loan decisions positively correlate with graduation rates, suggesting loans can enhance academic persistence. These findings highlight the need for responsible loan programs to improve graduation outcomes and socioeconomic development.
Unfettering the ball and chain of gender discrimination: Gendered experiences of senior STEM women in Ghana
(Cogent Education, 2017-12) Boateng, F.K.
Gender disparities are rife in Ghana and its educational sector. Despite the plethora of research on gender disparities in Ghana’s education system, there is no coverage on gender disparities in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields in Ghana. The paper’s purpose of the article was to examine the experiences of successful STEM women in Ghana utilizing semi-structured interviews. Fifteen women in STEM in senior faculty ranks were interviewed. Although they faced gender discrimination, their socialization emanated from their parents and other family members who are STEM professionals. Their agency made them linchpins in their study groups, excelled in their studies, and they were assisted to progress on their STEM trajectories by their professors and other mentors. As faculty, their productivity soared and they have been psychologically empowering their protégés.