CONCERNS OF PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS IN THE CAPE COAST METROPOLIS ABOUT THE 2007 EDUCATIONAL REFORM IN GHANA

ABSTRACT The study sought to track the concerns of primary school teachers in the Cape Coast Metropolis about the 2007 educational reform in Ghana within the framework of the Stages of Concerns dimension of the Concerns-Based Adoption Model developed by Hall, Wallace and Dossett in 1973. Data were gathered from three hundred and sixteen (316) private and public school teachers in the Cape Coast Metropolis of the Central Region. Results indicated that teachers have high concerns at personal, management, consequence and refocusing stages. This is an indication that primary school teachers in the metropolis are more concerned about the impact of the reform on learners. However, they are limited by their inadequacy in terms of knowledge and skills required by the reform and lack of material resources for successful implementation. Notwithstanding teachers’ lack of knowledge and skills, they have developed other strategies of improving upon the implementation of the reform. ANOVA results showed that primary school teachers’ concerns are totally independent of the type of school they work in whether private or public. Regarding gender, it was found that female teachers have more management concerns than their male counterparts. It is recommended that Ghana Education Service organizes a series of workshops, seminars and forums for heads of schools and their teachers to upgrade their knowledge and skills as required by the 2007 reform. Again, material resources needed to enhance the implementation of the reform should be provided.