A Comparative Study of Public and Private School Academic Performance in Basic Education Certificate Examination at Nsawam-Adoagyiri Municipal Assembly

Abstract

Educational policies in Ghana have consistently emphasized the pursuit of quality in primary education. Despite these noble intentions and various educational reforms, achieving the desired level of quality remains an elusive goal. This study seeks to uncover the factors contributing to the significantly better academic performance of primary private schools compared to their public counterparts. A quantitative-method research design was employed, utilizing questionnaires and interview guides for data collection. The sample selection process combined convenience and purposive sampling, resulting in a total of 739 respondents. The study comprised 58 Head-teachers, 175 teachers from both public and private schools, and 232 students. Statistical analyses such as frequencies, percentages, independent sample t-tests, and one-way ANOVA were conducted to assess the data. The findings of the study underscore the disparities between public and private schools. Private schools were found to have superior resources in terms of infrastructure, a more favourable teacher-student ratio, and greater access to Teaching and Learning Resources (TLRs). Their smaller class sizes facilitated regular class tests and exercises. Additionally, private schools exhibited a high level of parental involvement, particularly among families with higher socioeconomic status. Conversely, public schools boasted a higher percentage of professionally qualified teachers compared to private institutions. Notably, teachers in both sectors resorted to improvisation due to resource constraints. This study concludes that these identified factors significantly contribute to the observed variation in academic performance between public and private schools in the Nsawam Municipality. Analysis of the data confirmed that certain variables have a statistical influence on school performance, thereby elucidating the superior performance of private schools. The hypotheses underpinning this study, though not explicitly delineated, involve various independent and dependent variables. Regression analysis, one of the employed methods, further reinforced these findings. In summary, the investigation indicates that factors such as resource endowment, class sizes, parental involvement, and teacher qualifications are crucial determinants of the variance in academic outcomes between public and private primary schools. These findings shed light on the higher mean performance of private schools and their effective strategies for delivering quality education.