Enhancing quality of educational services in higher education is an issue of concern for all stakeholders of education in the 21 st Century. Students' assessment of educational services are often seen as an efficient tool for improving quality of teaching and learning in tertiary schools. The aim of the study was to investigate factors that contribute to students' satisfaction of education services as a quality assurance module for universities. A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was used for the investigation. Following a multistage sampling procedure, 1500 students were sampled from three public universities in Ghana. Student satisfaction (SS) and Quality assurance questionnaire (QAQ) for students were developed to measure satisfaction of students related to the educational services that they receive in their campuses. Covariance-Based structural equation modeling, specifically, Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) was used to validate the instrument and to test the study hypotheses. Findings of the study revealed that "instructional environment", "technological environment" and "psychological environment" were predictors of students' satisfaction in the context of how students see academic institution to be quality centered. The study recommended that universities in Ghana should emphasize and prioritize students' satisfaction in their quality assurance framework as a way of sustaining quality provision of educational services.

Assessment results can be a guide to instruction, and they can ensure that the prescribed curriculum is well covered. When assessment data are used as a means of making appropriate instructional adjustments for improvement, teaching and learning progresses. The study examined basic school teachers’ perception and use of assessment data. Cross-sectional survey design was used for the conduct of the study. Hundred and fifty (150) teachers within the Central region of Ghana were sampled from twenty (20) basic schools using systematic sampling procedure. A two-dimensional questionnaire was adapted, validated and used for the collection of research data. The data to provide answers to the study question were analysed using descriptive statistics, specifically, percentages and frequencies. The hypothesis was tested using Partial Least Square structural equation modelling approach. Findings revealed that in practice, basic school teachers use assessment data to plan instruction, evaluate students’ learning progress, determine curriculum strands to emphasize during teaching sessions and also to evaluate instructional effectiveness for the academic year. The study further showed that teacher perception about assessment significantly predict assessment data use. The study recommends that, tertiary institutions that train teachers must continue to place much emphasis on the teaching of ‘assessment in schools’ to deepen prospective teachers’ knowledge and utilization of assessment data for sustenance of positive ‘assessment data use practices’ in Ghana basic schools.

The study looked at how learners innate possessions (motivation, curiosity, curiosity) affect their performance (science and mathematics). A total of 568 high school students were surveyed through a quantitative-correlational research design. Data for the study were gathered using an adapted curiosity measure, an adapted creativity measure, an adapted motivation measure, and an expert-developed academic performance measure. Multiple multivariate was used to test the hypothesis. The study revealed that students’ motivated behaviors, curious abilities, creative potentials jointly explained 15.5% change or variance in science score and 33.1% change or variance in mathematics score. In this sense, it is evident that students’ who become curious, creative, and motivated in their learning situation could improve upon their academic performance and achieve their academic goals. Therefore, school managers of high schools should call for intersubject workshops, as it is evident that science and mathematics are related. Furthermore, the Ghana Education Service should revise the way and manner in which it organizes professional development programs for practitioners in order to make them cross-curricular.

Since the inception of Ghana's Educational Reform Programme in 1987, so many interventions have been put in place by the government and various donor organizations. Among them is the Quality Improvement in Primary School (QUIPS) programme sponsored by the USAID, which started in 1997, aimed at improving teaching and learning at the basic level. The purpose of the study was to determine the level of improvement in academic performance of pupils in New Edubiase Methodist Primary School since the inception of the QUIPS programme. It was also to find out what impact the programme has had on the teachers in the school as well as the assistance that the programme has given to parents and the community. The sample for the study included teachers of the New Edubiase Methodist Primary School and the parents who have their children in the school, numbering 58. The instruments used to collect data were questionnaire and interview. In analyzing the data, frequencies and percentages were used. The study revealed the following: The introduction of the QUIPS programme has helped to improve academic performance of the pupils in New Edubiase Methodist Primary School; The teachers in the school have improved their professional expertise through in-service training organized during the intervention; The parents and the community have also benefited indirectly from

The thrust of this study was to assess students’ perceptions of the Bachelor of Education (Accounting) programme at the University of Cape Coast. The study adopted the descriptive survey design in which data were collected within the overarching framework of the Context Input Process Product evaluation model. A sample size of 349 Bachelor of Education (Accounting) students participated in the study. Multi-stage sampling, employing stratified sampling, proportionate random sampling and simple random techniques, was used in selecting the respondents for the study. Descriptive statistics (means and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (Mann-Whitney U-test and Kruskal-Wallis test) were used to analyse the research questions / hypotheses. The study found that students perceived the Bachelor of Education (Accounting) programme to be satisfactory to the context rubric of the CIPP model. However, it was found that the programme was not satisfactory with respect to the input rubric of the CIPP model. It was also revealed that students were satisfied with the process rubric of the programme. The study recommended that the programme designers should include courses that will expose students to the use of current accounting software used in Ghana such as Tally Accounting, and the Head of the Department should ensure that departmental library resources and facilities, current journals in Accounting for the use of both students and lecturers, and teaching and learning materials are adequately available and in right conditions.

Postpartum depression, a major depressive disorder, predisposes postnatal mothers to physical, social, and psychological malfunctioning. Purpose: The study aimed to identify the psychosocial determinants of postpartum depression and maternal well-being among mothers in the Accra metropolis. Materials and Method: A sample of 205 postnatal women between the ages of 15 -39 years and are 4 -12 weeks old postpartum was drawn from 37 Military Hospital, Accra. Employing a sequential explanatory approach, participants were administered the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21), Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), Marital Adjustment Test (MAT), and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Findings: The study revealed that 14.1% of postnatal women in the Accra metropolis are at risk of developing PPD. A significant model emerged, [R2 = 0.488, F (7, 197) = 26.86, ρ < 0.05] and this was predicted by anxiety, stress and marital dissatisfaction among couples. On the other hand, results from Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) of participants' in-depth information revealed inadequate social support and dissatisfaction in marriage account for mothers' at-risk behaviour of developing PPD; which impacts on maternal well-being. Conclusion: It is concluded that PPD is patent among postnatal women and psychosocial variables contribute a significant role in their experience of mental health problems following childbirth. This, in effect, requires attention from health professionals for holistic healthcare. The implications of these outcomes are discussed concerning mental healthcare delivery, the general public, and stakeholders in the health sector.

This study examined the role that input, process factors and school context play in the effectiveness of Junior High School education in the Central Region of Ghana. Descriptive survey design was employed in the conduct of the study. The target population for this study was made up of public and private JHSs in all the 20 Metropolitan/Municipal/District Assemblies in the Central Region. Proportionate stratified random sampling was employed to sample 126 head teachers for the study. Questionnaire and performance data sheet were used for data collection. The data were analysed using the partial least square and multi-group structural equation modelling approach. The study result revealed that input, process factors and school context played a significant role in the effectiveness of junior high school education in Ghana. The results showed that there is a significant indirect effect of input factors on output/outcome through process factors, indicating that process factors significantly mediated the relationship between input factors and outcome. The multi group analysis revealed a statistically significant difference between the indirect effect for the urban and rural schools. Similarly, a significant indirect effect of input factors on output/outcome through process factors for both public and private schools was found. The study concluded that the existence of just input factors is not enough to improve academic achievement of learners. It was recommended that Ghana Education Service and heads of school should not focus only on providing input factors but also process factors in schools to improve academic performance of learners.

Public demand for high scores in the nationwide high-stakes test, that is, Basic Education Certificate Examination places Ghanaian teachers in a position to experience high amount of stress since they are to work harder to ensure that the demand is realized. The main aim of the study was to investigate effect of teachers perceived job-related stress on their job satisfaction. Using public Junior High School teachers in the Kwahu South District as the target population, 120 of them from public 20 schools were selected using proportionate stratified sampling technique with a common ratio of 4:10 (0.4). An adapted high-stakes testing questionnaire was used to collect data from the respondents. Variance based Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), specifically, Partial Least Square (PLS) model was used to validate the instrument and to test the study hypothesis 1. Independent samples t-test as well as means and standard deviations were used in the analysis of the data to test the hypothesis 2 and answer the research question respectively. Findings revealed teacher Job-related stress as a significant predictor of job satisfaction in a high-stakes testing environment. Implications are provided for policy and practice.