CHALLENGES OF TEACHERS’ SUPERVISION TOWARDS THE SAFETY OF GHANAIAN KINDERGARTEN LEARNERS

Authors

  • Justina Adu Department of Early Childhood Education, University of Education, Winneba, Winneba, Ghana
  • Isaac Awortwe College for Distance and e-Learning, University of Education, Winneba, Winneba, Ghana

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v10i9.4996

Keywords:

supervision, safety, practices, teachers, kindergarten

Abstract

The study sought to assess the challenges of teacher supervision towards the safety of learners in kindergarten schools within Komenda Edina Eguafo Abrem Municipality in the Central Region of Ghana. The study was situated in the interpretivist paradigm by employing a qualitative research approach. The instrumental case study design was adopted for this study. A semi-structured interview guide was utilized to collect data from 16 participants. A convenience sampling technique was used in selecting the participants for the study. The data were analyzed thematically with the help of an online qualitative analysis tool, Taguette. The findings of the study revealed that the majority of kindergarten teachers are overloaded with tasks that make them inefficient to supervise their learners for their safety. Again, this study emerged that poor maintenance culture in kindergarten schools contributes to the ineffective supervision of most kindergarten teachers. The study findings also suggest that most kindergarten teachers are challenged with inactive supervision because of the inequivalent teacher-learner ratio. It was recommended to the National School Inspectorate Authority (NaSIA), the Ministry of Education (MoE) and the Ghana Education Service (GES) to collaborate and make a policy criterion for inspecting all kindergarten schools for safety before certification of operation would be issued to them. It was also recommended to the National Teaching Council (NTC) to include teacher supervision and safety in their assessment modules for licensing kindergarten teachers and school administrators and heads.

 

Article visualizations:

Hit counter

Author Biographies

  • Justina Adu, Department of Early Childhood Education, University of Education, Winneba, Winneba, Ghana

    Mrs. Justina Adu is senior lecturer at the Department of Early Childhood Education of the University of Education, Winneba, Ghana. She had her first Degree at the University of Education, Winneba where she offered Arts Education. She also obtained his Masters Degree in Basic Education from the University of Cape Coast, Ghana. She has published many papers which includes Emergent writing activities, material development, instructional materials development and other related Arts subject. Her research interest are subjects related to Early Childhood Education.

  • Isaac Awortwe, College for Distance and e-Learning, University of Education, Winneba, Winneba, Ghana

    are subjects related to Early Childhood Education.

    Mr. Isaac Awortwe is currently a lecturer at College for Distance and e-Learning of the University of Education, Winneba, Ghana. He obtained his Bachelors Degree and Master of Philosophy Degree (MPhil) in Early Childhood Education at the University of Education, Winneba in 2018 and 2022 respectively. His research interests include areas related to Early Childhood Education such as Teachers’ Supervisory Practices; Children’s Safety Issues at School; Children’s Right, Protection and Welfare; Food Safety in Schools; and School Disciplinary Measures and Children’s Behaviour Modification. He has participated in many conferences and symposia notable among is his presentation at 6th International Multidisciplinary Conference for Post-Graduate Students-UEW, 2022. Again, He has authored articles such as An Assessment of Safety Conditions in Kindergarten Schools; Effects of Teachers’ Supervision on the Safety of Kindergarten Pupils; Play-based pedagogies and learner’s safety and is presently workings on many more papers. Based on his interest in research relating Early Childhood Educational research, the author currently serves as reviewer for International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) and has links to other academic networks such as ResearchGate and Academia.edu.

References

Abdelhamid, T. S., & Everett, J. G. (2000). Identifying root causes of construction accidents. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 126(1), 52-60

Ansah, M. (2017). GES orders audit of school buildings after KG collapse. Available at http://citifmonline.com/Ghana

Azzi-Lessing, L. (2009). Quality Support Infrastructure in Early Childhood: Still (Mostly) Missing. Early Childhood Research & Practice, v11 n1. http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/v11n1/azzi.html

Bertaux, D. (1981). From the life-history approach to the transformation of sociological practice. In D. Bertaux, (Eds.). Biography and society: The life history approach in the social sciences, (pp. 29–45). London: Sage

Bidwell, A. (2015). Staff writer. U.S. News and World Report. Available at https://www.usnews.com/topics/author/allie-bidwell.

Bredekamp, S. (1987). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs serving children from birth through Age 8. Washington DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children, 1987 The University of Michigan. Volume 224 of NAEYC (Collection) Issue 224 of NAEYC (Series)

Brenda, M. (2017). Higher child-to-staff ratios threaten the quality of child care: Child trends. available at https://www.childtrends.org/higher-child-staff-ratiosthreaten-quality childcare/#_ftn1

Carpman, J. R., Grant, M. A. and Simmons, D. A. (2005), Design that cares: Planning health facilities and patients. Chicago, IL: American Hospital Association.

Casper, V., & Theilheimer, R. (2010). Introduction to early childhood education: Learning together. New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education

Cornell, D. G. & Mayer, M. J. (2010). Why do school order and safety matter? Educational Researcher, 39, 7-15.

Dodge, D. T., & Colker, L. J. (1992). The creative curriculum for early childhood. Washington, DC: Teaching Strategies Inc.

Donkor, A. K. (2018). School safety issues in Northern Ghana: A way forward. International Journal of Humanities Social Sciences and Education (IJHSSE), 5, 2, 88-97 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.20431/2349-0381.0502010

Dunne, M., Sabates, R., Bosumtwi-Sam, C., & Owusu, A. (2013). Peer relations, violence and school attendance: analyses of bullying in senior high schools in Ghana. The Journal of Development Studies, 49(2), 285-300.

Gwambombo, I. (2013). The effect of teachers’ workload on students’ academic performance in community secondary schools. A Study of Mbeya City; A Dissertation

Hazel, C. (2010). Interactions between bullying and high-stakes testing at the elementary school level. Journal of School Violence, 9, 339-356.

Heinrich, H. W., Petersen, D. & Roos, N. (1980). Industrial accident prevention. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Hinze, J. (1996). The distractions theory of accident causation. CIB Rep., A. A. Balkema, Rotterdam, Netherlands.

Hosseinian, S. S. & Torghabeh, Z. J. (2012). Department of structure and materials, faculty of civil engineering, University Teknology Malaysia (UTM), Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia. International Journal of Advances in Engineering & Technology. Vol.5, No.13

Jha, K. N. (2011). Construction project management: Theory and practice. Dorling Kindersley (India) Pvt. Ltd., Licensees of Pearson education in South Asia.

Kibriya, S., Zhou, S., Zhang, Y., & Fatema, N. (2018). The effects of school safety on academic achievement: Evidence from Rwanda, Tanzania and Zambia / Kibriya et al. ISBN: 978-1-7324483-0-8 (paperback) 1. School safety --Africa. 2. Academic achievement Africa

Kosciw, J. G., Palmer, N. A., Kull, R. M., & Greytak, E. A. (2013). The effect of negative school climate on academic outcomes for LGBT youth and the role of in-school supports. Journal of School Violence, 12, 45 - 63.

Kuranchie, A. (2016). Research made easy. Kumasi: Book Worm Publications.

Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. Beverly Hills.

Mack, M. G., Hudson, S. & Thompson, D. (1997). A descriptive analysis of children's playground injuries in the United States 1990-1994. Injury Prevention: Journal of the International Society for Child and Adolescent Injury Prevention, 3, 100-103.

Mahon, R. (2018). Child care policy: A comparative perspective. Child care – Early

Childhood Education and Care. Chancellor’s Professor and Director, Institute of Political Economy, Carleton University, Canada, 2nd rev. ed.

Morrongiello, B. A., & House, K. (2004). Measuring parent attributes and supervision behaviors relevant to child injury risk: Examining the usefulness of questionnaire measures. Injury Prevention, 10, 114-118.

Morrongiello, B. A., Ondejko L., & Littlejohn, A. (2004). Understanding toddlers' in-home injuries: Examining parental strategies, and their efficacy, for managing child injury risk. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 31, 29, 433–446. [PubMed: 15277586]

National Association for the Education of Young Children. (2014). Focus on ethics: Smartphones and social media-ethical implications for educator.

Nhlapo, A. V. (2006). Managing school safety in the primary school. Dissertation submitted for the Master of Education in the School of Educational Sciences in Educational Management at the Vaal Triangle Campus of the North West University.

Nyakundi, O., Zablon, N. G., Areba, E. M., Onguti, R. & Mikuro, R. (2014). Implementation of Safety Standards and Guidelines in Public Secondary Schools in Marani District, Kisii County, Kenya. Journal of Education and Practice Vol.5, No.13, 111 www.iiste.org ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper)

O’Keefe, A. R., Hooper, S. & Jakubiec, B. (2019). Exploring early childhood educators’ notions about professionalism in Prince Edward Island. Journal of Childhood Studies, 44 (1), 20- 36, Winter/Hiver.

Phillips, D., & Howes, C. (1987). Indicators of quality in child care: Review of the research. In D. A. Phillips (Ed.), Quality in child care: What does research tell us? (Research Monograph of the National Association for the Education of Young Children, Vol. 1). Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Saluja, G., Brenner, R., Morrongiello, B. A., Haynie, D., Rivera, M., & Cheng, T. L. (2004). The role of supervision in child injury risk: Definition, conceptual, and measurement issues. Injury Control and Safety Promotion, 11, 17–22.

Stake, R. E. (2003). Case studies. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), Strategies of qualitative inquiry, (2nd ed.) (pp. 134 - 164). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Szuba, T. & Young, R. (2003). Planning guide for maintaining school facilities.

Washington DC: National Forum on Education Statistics

Taylor, G., Easter, K. & Hegney, R. (2004). Enhancing occupational safety and health. Oxford, [England]: Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann.

Xaba, M. I. (2014). A holistic approach to safety and security at schools in South Africa. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 5(20), 1580-1589.

Zaidah, Z. (2007). Case study as a research method. Journal of Humanity, 9, 1-6.

Downloads

Published

2023-08-17

Issue

Section

Articles