Exploring equity and social justice education provision in Ghana: Support for evidence-based and research-informed policymaking

The term ‘social justice’ in the field of education in general and particularly in schools has been the subject of much scholarly debate, resulting in a plurality of conceptions and interpretations, with no clear consensus as to what constitutes a socially just society, and consequently, a socially just school. A significant shortcoming in the literature is the lack of say from those non-Anglophone nations not considered as geopolitically dominant, leading to a reconsideration of educational systems in transitional and previously under-represented areas and their having to take the direction of Western countries. In actual fact, disparities in basic education provision exist with many children still not attending school, while others are attending but not learning. Consequently, SDG 4 aims to safeguard access to quality education to all throughout all life stages, as well as increase the number of youths who have the relevant employment and entrepreneurship skills. Funded by the Research England Policy Support Fund, this project that focused on Greater Accra, one of the 16 regions of Ghana, featured five phases: i) school visits; ii) documentary analysis of the relevant policy documents; iii) mixed-method surveys with teachers and headteachers; iv) online interviews with headteachers; and v) a conference for headteachers. The main aim of this project was to explore how education policies are tackling equity and social justice challenges in compulsory public education in Ghana, and how these policy priorities, in turn, are being perceived and enacted within schools. The key objectives were to deliver data-driven and research-informed policy recommendations, while simultaneously supporting headteachers in their school leadership practices through the preparation of a bespoke toolkit. Analysis of the survey and interview data, further enriched by the headteacher interventions during the conference, led to the identification of distinct themes and issues of the challenges faced by practitioners in practising equity and social justice for SDG 4 provision while enacting the national policies in schools. The project findings highlight significant gaps in resources and infrastructure; challenges with curriculum and pedagogy; a critical need for IT provision; socio-economic barriers; a disparity in provision between urban and rural schools; and implementation gaps from policy to practice, among others. A list of suggested recommendations for policymakers is presented. This research has produced key evidence that has implications for theory, policy and practice across international education systems, especially as we build on the social justice agendas around native peoples and decolonisation.