students' abandonment of the visual arts programme in senior high schools

98 Pages·2016·1.3 MB·English

STUDENTS’ ABANDONMENT OF THE VISUAL ARTS PROGRAMME IN
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLS: EJISU-JUABEN MUNICIPALITY SENIOR HIGH
SCHOOLS AS A CASE STUDY

By
Boateng, Augustine Yaw Antwi
(B.A IRAI; Dip. in BMA)

A Thesis submitted to the School of Graduate Studies,
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi,
in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of

MASTER OF ARTS IN ART EDUCATION
Faculty of Art
College of Art and Built Environment
JULY, 2015
© 2015, Department of General Art Studies

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DECLARATION
I hereby declare that this submission is my own work towards the MA degree and that
to the best of my knowledge, it neither contains no material previously published by
another person nor material which has been accepted for the award of any other degree
of the University, except where due acknowledgement has been made in the text.

Boateng, Augustine Yaw Antwi (20113530) ………………… ………………
(Student’s Name and ID No.) Signature Date

Certified by:
Mrs. Nana Afia Opoku-Asare ……………………. ………………
(Supervisor’s Name) Signature Date

Certified by:
Dr. Steve Kquofi .…………………… ………………
(Head of Department’s Name) Signature Date
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ABSTRACT
The focus of this study was to investigate students’ abandonment of the Visual Arts
programme in Senior High Schools within the Ejisu-Juaben Municipality of the Ashanti
Region of Ghana. The study employed both qualitative and quantitative methods of
research and questionnaire to gather data from Visual Arts teachers and Visual Arts
students. Other data were collected from some Non-Visual Arts students, around the
schools’ environment, the Visual Arts departments, Heads of Visual Arts departments,
Assistant Headmasters/mistresses and Headmasters, through the use of observations
and interviews. A triangulation of these indicated that some SHS Visual Arts students
who are enrolled onto the programme swap to other programmes. Majority of these
students who abandon the Visual Arts programme have initial interest but lose interest
in the programme along their line of academic pursuance due to multiples of challenges
confronting the Visual Arts programme such as; Lack of proper orientation, Lack of
practical working studios in some schools, Lack of adequate funds for tools and
materials even for practical demonstration lessons, Negative comments about the
Visual Arts programme from non-Visual Arts teachers and students as well as Lack of
administrative interest and support. Some of the data collected were quantitatively
tabled and organized in charts for partial statistical analysis. Again, it was found that,
though some of the schools organize orientations for their fresh students in general,
there is no properly organized departmental orientation for newly admitted Visual Arts
students specifically to properly root them in the department to stand firm against all
odds. The researcher through this study recommends that, apart from the general
orientations organized by the schools at large, the Visual Arts departments must also
organize well-structured orientations, pregnant with detailed but specific information
about the Visual Arts programme, for its fresh students.
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These departmental orientations could even be periodically organized to involve
continuing students as refresher courses to firmly root the Visual Arts student in what
he/she has originally set out to pursue. Again, the Visual Arts programmes are
generally practically oriented: Visual Arts teachers and their Heads of Departments are
therefore entreated to adopt more practical innovative approaches in their pedagogical
deliveries in order to make what they teach become more interesting and attractive.
This will help to win the trust and confidence of their school administrators as well as
their students and the school community at large, thereby retaining students who are
originally enrolled onto the Visual Arts programme to reduce the abandonment menace.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The researcher desires to express his most sincere gratitude and appreciation to the
Almighty God for the inspiration, strength, insight and the capacity to successfully go
through this research.
Another big thank you also goes to the KNUST and the entire staff of the department of
General Art Studies for the opportunity to contribute to knowledge.
The researcher is very grateful to several mortals who have been very instrumental and
have contributed in diverse ways to the writing of this thesis: First and foremost, I
extend an honest gratitude to my project supervisor, Nana Afia Opoku-Asare (Mrs.) of
the KNUST and a Senior Lecturer of the Department of General Art Studies, for her
commitment, love, constructive criticisms, her encouragement especially, and valuable
suggestions through every stage of this project. I am also thankful to her for carefully
reading through the first draft as well as the questionnaires. I just love to love you
Mommy. I am privileged to have benefited from her motherly manners, with listening
ears, unlimited patience and accessible personality and indeed, it has been an immense
pleasure to be her student.
Again, my profound gratitude goes to Dr. Kwabena Asubonteng of IRAI – KNUST, Dr.
Mrs. Akosua Tachie-Menson of General Art Studies, KNUST and Mr. Daniel Kofi
Akuoko of Bolgatanga Polytechnic, for their time, encouragement, directions, editorial
services, as well as their unqualified suggestions. This project would not have fully
seen the light of day without you “Asuo, Akosua and Kofi: to this, I say God bless you,
your spouses and your entire families bountifully.
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My acknowledgement is also due, to my dearest beautiful and supportive wife, Mrs.
Ernestina Akosua Ataa Antwi Boateng and our son Akwasi Barfi Boateng, as well as
our parents, siblings and our entire families for their moral, material, spiritual and
financial support throughout the period of this research.
The researcher also acknowledges the enormous support and assistance from
Headmasters and their assistants, Heads of Visual Arts departments, teachers of Visual
Arts and all students who granted me audience during the process of data collection.
Finally, to all friends, loved ones and even my enemies, I say thank you.
God bless you all bountifully till the end of time – Amen.

B.A.Y.A.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page Page
Declaration…………………………………………………………………… ii
Abstract………………………………………………………………….......... iii
Acknowledgements…………………………………………………………… v
Table of Contents……………………………………………………………… vii
List of Figures………………………………………………………………….. xii
List of Tables……………………………………………………………………. xiii

CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Overview…………………………………………………………………. 1
1.2 Background to the Study…………………………………………………. 1
1.3 Statement of the Problem………………………………………………… 2
1.4 Objectives………………………………………………………………... 3
1.5 Research Questions………………………………………………………. 4
1.6 Delimitation………………………………………………………………. 4
1.7 Definition of Terms………………………………………………………. 6
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1.8 Importance of the Study………………………………………………….. 7
1.9 Organization of the rest of the Text………………………………………... 7

CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.0 Overview…………………………………………………………………. 8
2.1 Philosophy of Education…………………………………………………. 9
2.2 The Educational System in Ghana…………………………….………… 10
2.3 Second Cycle Education in Ghana………………………………………. 12
2.4 The Visual Arts Programme in Senior High Schools in Ghana………… 14
2.4.1 Benefits of Studying Visual Arts………………………………………... 14
2.4.2 Challenges of the Visual Arts Education………………………………... 17
2.5 Concepts of Educational Abandonment…………………………………. 18
2.6 Abandonment of Visual Arts Education………………………………… 20

CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY
3.1 Overview………………………………………………………………… 24
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3.2 Research Design……………………………………….….…………….... 24
3.3 Population for the Study…………………………………..……................ 26
3.3.1 Target Population………………………………………………………... 27
3.3.2 Accessible Population………………………………………………….... 29
3.4 Sample and Sampling ………...………………..………………................. 30
3.5 Data Collection Instruments..……………...…………………….……….. 31
3.5.1 Interview………………………………………………………………..... 32
3.5.2 Questionnaire.…………………………………………………………..... 33
3.5.3 Validation of Data Collection Instruments…………………………….. 33
3.6 Types of Data…………………………………………………………...... 33
3.7 Administration of Instruments………………………………………….... 34
3.8 Data Collection Procedures………………………………………………. 35
3.9 Data Analysis Plan………………………………………………………... 36

CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
4.1 Overview………………………………………………………………… 37
4.2 Characteristics of the Four Case Study Schools ……………….…......... 37
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4.3 Presentation and Discussion of Findings Gathered from
Questionnaires and Interviews ……………………….………………..... 41
4.3.1 Visual Arts Students (Background Information)………………………… 41
4.3.2 Visual Arts Teacher Respondents (Background Information) ……….…. 46
4.3.3 Students’ Interest in the Visual Arts Programme….……………………… 49
4.3.4 Practical Lessons…………………………………………….……………. 51
4.3.5 Abandoning the Visual Arts Programme…………………………………. 53
4.3.6 Challenges in the Visual Arts Programme…….………………………….. 57
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Overview ……………………………………………………………….. 60
5.2 Summary………………………………………………………………… 60
5.3 Conclusions……………………………………………………………… 62
5.4 Recommendations……………………………………………………….. 64
REFERENCES…………………………………………………………………… 68
APPENDICES
APPENDIX A: Questionnaire for Visual Arts Teachers………………………… 74
APPENDIX B: Questionnaire for Visual Arts Students…………………………. 78
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