Empowering Teachers In Ghanaian Basic Schools: Challenges And Prospects

Within the Ghanaian educational system, teacher empowerment seem to be a new terminology. However, within recent years, the role of basic school head teachers in Ghana has come to be seen in implementing shared decision... [ view full abstract ]

Within the Ghanaian educational system, teacher empowerment seem to be a new terminology. However, within recent years, the role of basic school head teachers in Ghana has come to be seen in implementing shared decision making in schools. The empowerment of basic school teachers in Ghana has more to do with individual deportment than with the ability of the basic school head teacher. Using the sequential explanatory mixed method design a total of 64 head   teachers and 160 teachers were census and randomly sampled from 32 basic school in the central region of Ghana.  Structured questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and observations were used to garner data for the study. The research findings showed that the main challenges faced by basic school head teachers include, head teacher's ability to tap teachers' expertise and experiences to facilitate enlightened decisions, the hierarchical school structures, teacher’s isolation and outside experts/influence. The analysis of the data further indicate that basic schools will improve when teachers are empowered.  Hence, the researcher recommend that teacher empowerment requires the basic school head teacher to trust and respect teachers, support for staff development, support of teachers decisions and adequate allocation of time for the development of collaborative relationships among teachers.