Pupils' view of the future at four Ghanaian schools

Abstract

The overall aim of this study was to contribute to increased understanding regarding pupils’ views of the future and attitudes towards education in Ghana. In the study the pupils’ views and attitudes were contrasted with teachers’ and principals’ discussions on the same themes. The context of the research can be described as a suburb – in this study referred to as Mastar – of Accra, the capital city of Ghana. The people in Mastar are mixed in terms of socio- economic backgrounds, ethnicity, languages and religiosity. The research approach used was inspired by common case study methodology. Questionnaires, interviews and observations in a broad sense as well as field notes were used as data collecting methods. The findings indicate strong norms regarding how the pupils should think about the future and education in their context. The norms that predominate are as follows:

1) The pupils should have a positive attitude towards education. 2) The pupils should think that education is the key to the future. 3) The pupils should take studies seriously and preferably be “best in class,” which in turn will lead to future success.

The findings indicate that norms regarding the future as well as education are closely linked together and very complex. This study should be understood as an attempt to reflect the pupils’ perspective as a valuable resource of information when working to improve education in Ghana. Furthermore, with Ghana as an example, the findings of the study can contribute to an increased understanding of the complexity that surrounds pupils’ attitudes and views of the future, and can also stimulate a discussion about these important issues.