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Costing teacher education in Ghana: micro realities and macro contexts

Rapid school enrolment expansion in many developing countries, and subsequent concerns over worsening educational quality, has prompted renewed interest in teacher education. But despite its central role in every educational system across the world, teacher education remains under-researched. And while cost considerations are not the only criteria on which to base policy, it is this aspect which tends to be the most overlooked in studies of teacher education.

Recent research from the Multi-Site Teacher Education Research (MUSTER) project led by the Centre for International Education at University of Sussex explores the costs of teacher education using Ghana as a case study. As is the case in most developing countries, studies of the cost of teacher education in Ghana are not readily available, and policy decisions appear to be made without sufficient knowledge of the cost implications.

This study examines the costs and efficiency of teacher education in Ghana across three levels: the national macro level, at the meso level across its 41 teacher training colleges (TTCs), and at the micro-level inside the colleges. Using both quantitative and qualitative research methods it finds that cost analysis of the micro realities of teacher education, both inside and across the TTCs, has much to inform macro policy. It also highlights the importance of analysing the costs of teacher education within the context of the budget process and in relation to the financial management of the teacher education sub-sector as a whole.

Research findings include:

Ghana had no official teacher education policy until 2000: yet its share of the recurrent budget increased from 2.7 per cent in 1989 to 6 per cent by 1998, while the unit cost per trainee increased by 150 per cent between 1992/93 and 1997/98.
Numbers of teacher trainees increased by more than 50 per cent between 1992/93 and 1997/98, but supply remains insufficient to meet demand.
Budgeting for teacher education across the TTCs is historic and not related to any funding formula that takes into account numbers of trainees in each college. Distribution of funds between TTCs is inequitable.
Each college spends an average of 64 per cent of its budget on trainee allowances, 29 per cent on teaching and non-teaching salaries, and only 7 per cent on teaching and learning materials.
On average around 40 per cent of the trainee allowance is retained by the administering TTC for board and lodging, to cover examiniations fees, and the costs of teaching and learning materials; but wide variations occur across TTCs.
Teacher attrition is a growing problem with many teachers leaving the profession to undertake further study and/or alternative careers.

Policy implications include:

Ghana needs to articulate a clear teacher education policy that not only supports the educational objectives of its international development targets but is also related to the sector's medium term expenditure framework.
Introduction of a TTC funding formula related to the number of trainees would ensure greater equity in the distribution of college funding, but per capita funding would require strengthened monitoring capacity.
Cost analysis at the micro level across the TTCs reveals that the greatest inefficiencies in the costs of teacher education occur at the national policy and budget-making levels.
Cost analysis of Ghana's initial teacher education for basic schooling is inadequate for policy purposes without being contexualised within the budget processes and financial management of the sub-sector.
The rate of teacher attrition requires further analysis in relation to the cost of education and possible alternative modes of training.

Source(s):
'Costs and Financing of Teacher Education in Ghana', MUSTER Discussion Paper #18, K. Akyeampong, D. Furlong and K. Lewin, 2000
'Teacher Education in Ghana: A Baseline Study' MUSTER Research Paper #7, K. Akyeampong and D. Furlong, 2000

Funded by: UK Department for International Development (DFID), 1998-2001

id21 Research Highlight: 27 September 2001

Further Information:
Dominic Furlong
Centre for International Education
University of Sussex Institute of Education
Brighton BN1 9RH
UK

Tel: +44 (0) 1273 877021
Fax: +44 (0) 1273 678568
Contact the contributor: d.j.furlong@sussex.ac.uk

Centre for International Education, University of Sussex, UK

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