Powered by OpenAIRE graph
Found an issue? Give us feedback
image/svg+xml art designer at PLoS, modified by Wikipedia users Nina, Beao, JakobVoss, and AnonMoos Open Access logo, converted into svg, designed by PLoS. This version with transparent background. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Open_Access_logo_PLoS_white.svg art designer at PLoS, modified by Wikipedia users Nina, Beao, JakobVoss, and AnonMoos http://www.plos.org/ ZENODOarrow_drop_down
image/svg+xml art designer at PLoS, modified by Wikipedia users Nina, Beao, JakobVoss, and AnonMoos Open Access logo, converted into svg, designed by PLoS. This version with transparent background. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Open_Access_logo_PLoS_white.svg art designer at PLoS, modified by Wikipedia users Nina, Beao, JakobVoss, and AnonMoos http://www.plos.org/
ZENODO
Article . 2026
License: CC BY
Data sources: ZENODO
ZENODO
Article . 2026
License: CC BY
Data sources: Datacite
ZENODO
Article . 2026
License: CC BY
Data sources: Datacite
versions View all 2 versions
addClaim

"Political Economy and the Evolution of Education Reform in Ghana's Fourth Republic (1993–2025)"

Authors: Emmanuel Asumadu Agyemang1*, Ishmael Ibn Saaka2, Theresa Dentaa Adade3, Sophia Naa-Abia Chinery4;

"Political Economy and the Evolution of Education Reform in Ghana's Fourth Republic (1993–2025)"

Abstract

This study will explore educational reform initiatives in Ghana's Fourth Republic (1993-2025) by examining how the ideological foundations of politics have influenced access, equity, and quality in education. The concept of political economy, grounded in institutional theory, provides a practical and analytical framework. Using a qualitative document analysis approach and employing multiple data sources (i.e., policy documents, government white papers, and academic literature), the study will analyze changes over time across six different administrations. The research indicates that, whereas policies such as Rawlings’ Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE), Kufuor’s vocational and quality-oriented reforms, Mills’ cost-reduction interventions, Mahama’s Progressive Free SHS, and Akufo-Addo’s universal Free SHS with an emphasis on STEM have succeeded in expanding access, with secondary school enrolment rates rising from 60% in 1993 to more than 90% in 2025, underlying issues of equity in quality, teacher retention, and accessibility for rural students still exist. Changes in governments and ideological competition between the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have restricted a consistent mode of policy continuity and long-term planning. This study concludes that improvements in Ghana’s education system can only be sustainable through cooperation across the political sphere toward evidence-based policies, and reviving investments in teacher training and infrastructure for equitable learning.

Keywords

Ghana; education reform; political economy; policy continuity; Free SHS; equity and access; institutional theory

  • BIP!
    Impact byBIP!
    selected citations
    These citations are derived from selected sources.
    This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
    0
    popularity
    This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.
    Average
    influence
    This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
    Average
    impulse
    This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.
    Average
Powered by OpenAIRE graph
Found an issue? Give us feedback
selected citations
These citations are derived from selected sources.
This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Citations provided by BIP!
popularity
This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Popularity provided by BIP!
influence
This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Influence provided by BIP!
impulse
This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Impulse provided by BIP!
0
Average
Average
Average
Green