Examining stakeholders’ perception of sixty-six years of guidance service delivery in Ghana: the explanatory sequential mixed method perspectives

Figures & data

Table 1. Sample size determination.

S/N	Strata	Population	Sample
1	National coordinators of guidance services	1	1
2	Regional coordinators of guidance services	10	10
3	Headteachers of first-cycle institutions	8850	201
4	School counsellors of first-cycle institutions	8850	201
5	Subtotal	17,711	413
6	Provision for a low response rate		30
	Sub-total		433
7	Sample for qualitative data		12
	Grand total	17,743	455

Source: Field survey (2022).

Table 2. Demographic characteristics of respondents.

Demographic characteristics	No	%
Tenure
1–5 years	87	21.1
6–10 years	146	35.4
11 years and above	180	43.6
Total	413	100.0
Gender
Male	157	38.0
Female	256	62.0
Total	413	100.0

Source: Field data (2022).

Table 3. Attitude of stakeholders towards resources for guidance service delivery.

Attitude towards resource allocation	N	Minimum	Maximum	Mean	Std. deviation
	statistic	statistic	statistic	statistic	statistic
Human resource	413	1.00	3.75	2.434	0.452
Office complex	413	1.00	4.00	2.194	0.832
Materials	413	1.00	4.00	1.770	0.818
Time	413	1.00	4.00	1.678	0.773
Finance	413	1.00	4.00	1.625	0.762
Equipment	413	1.00	4.00	1.601	0.825
Overall	413	1.00	4.00	1.882	0.743

Scale: 1.5–1.9 = very low; 2.0–2.4 = low; 2.5–2.9 = high; 3.0–3.4 = very high.

Source: Field data (2022).

Table 4. Policy implementation, monitoring and evaluation of guidance services.

	Policy implementation, monitoring and evaluation items	N	Min	Max	Mean	Std. dev
1	Lack of resource allocation affects the implementation of guidance service delivery in basic schools.	413	1	4	3.07	1.110
2	Lack of political will on the part of the government is affecting the implementation of guidance services in basic schools.	413	1	4	2.85	1.092
3	There is general apathy on the part of authorities about the implementation of guidance services delivery in basic schools.	413	1	4	2.66	1.021
4	There is a policy on the delivery of guidance services at the basic school level.	413	1	4	2.51	1.060
5	There is inadequate time to carry out measurement and evaluation on guidance service delivery in schools.	413	1	4	2.13	1.066
6	The policy on guidance services delivery is clear and makes adequate provisions for monitoring and evaluation.	413	1	4	1.89	0.897
7	There is a policy on the regularity of visits by authorities to monitor guidance services in the basic schools.	413	1	4	1.88	0.912
8	Inefficient guidance coordinators are dealt with or sanctioned.	413	1	4	1.77	0.851
9	Guidance services at the basic school are evaluated at the end of the term.	413	1	4	1.76	0.881
10	Support is provided to strengthen measurement & evaluation for guidance services delivery in schools.	413	1	4	1.76	0.862
11	Guidance services in basic schools are monitored regularly by authorities (at least once a week).	413	1	4	1.72	0.888
	Overall mean	413	1	4	1.903	0.967
A	Policy implementation	413	1.	4.	2.77	0.909
B	Monitoring and Evaluation	413	1.	4.	1.84	.704

Scale: 1.5–1.9 = very low; 2.0–2.4 = low; 2.5–2.9 = high; 3.0–3.4 = very high.

Source: Field data (2022).

Table 5. Relevance of the guidance service delivery in Ghana.

	Relevance items	N	Min	Max	Mean	Std. dev
1	Guidance services help students make the right decisions regarding further studies.	413	1	4	3.09	0.971
2	Guidance services help to increase students’ self-knowledge on how to relate effectively with teachers and other students.	413	1	4	3.06	0.947
3	Guidance services are still relevant to 21st-century students.	413	1	4	3.03	0.967
4	The introduction of guidance services in the school curriculum was very good.	413	1	4	2.99	0.940
5	Guidance services help students to reach their fullest academic potential.	413	1	4	2.98	0.955
6	Guidance services help to ensure the total development of students in the areas of personal, social, academic and vocational.	413	1	4	2.83	1.175
7	Guidance services provide opportunities for career planning and decision-making among students.	413	1	4	2.82	1.166
8	Guidance services help students to make sound career-related decisions.	413	1	4	2.80	1.152
9	Guidance services help to make students productive citizens and lifelong learners.	413	1	4	2.73	1.126
10	Guidance services at the basic school level determine and shape students’ future career	413	1	4	2.65	1.112
	Overall	413	1	4	2.898	1.051

Scale: 1.5–1.9 = very low; 2.0–2.4 = low; 2.5–2.9 = high; 3.0–3.4 = very high.

Source: Field data (2022).

Table 6. Career success.

	CS Items	N	Min	Max	Mean	Std. dev
1	Guidance services help to achieve work and life balance.	413	1	4	3.36	0.632
2	Guidance services help to sustain one’s career.	413	1	4	3.30	0.648
3	Guidance services help to achieve a clear career path for beneficiaries.	413	1	4	3.25	0.600
4	Guidance services help to achieve a high level of job satisfaction among beneficiaries.	413	1	4	3.17	0.630
5	Guidance services help to achieve employee retention among beneficiaries.	413	1	4	3.10	0.679
6	Guidance services help to achieve satisfaction with promotional levels associated with one’s career.	413	1	4	3.09	0.692
7	Guidance services help to achieve satisfaction with remuneration levels associated with one’s career.	413	1	4	3.01	0.741
8	Guidance services help to achieve satisfaction with fringe benefits associated with beneficiaries’ careers.	413	1	4	2.97	0.720
	Overall	413	1	4	3.16	0.67

Scale: 1.5–1.9 = very low; 2.0–2.4 = low; 2.5–2.9 = high; 3.0–3.4 = very high.

Source: Field data (2022).

Table 7. Rating of all variables of the study.

s/n	Variables of the study	N	Min	Max	Mean	Std. dev
1	Career success	413	1.00	4.00	3.158	0.537
2	Perceive relevance	413	1.00	4.00	2.897	0.930
3	Policy implementation, monitoring and evaluation	413	1.00	4.00	1.903	0.967
4	Attitude	413	1.00	4.00	1.882	0.743
	Overall	413	1.00	4.00	2.460	0.794

Scale: 1.5–1.9 = very low; 2.0–2.4 = low; 2.5–2.9 = high; 3.0–3.4 = very high.

Source: Field data (2022).

Table 8. Descriptive results for gender and perception of the variables of the study.

Variables	Gender of respondents	N	Mean	Std. dev	Std. error
Human resource	Male	157	2.3615	0.49224	0.03929
	Female	256	2.4844	0.41921	0.02620
Office complex	Male	157	2.3089	0.79266	0.06326
	Female	256	2.1230	0.84887	0.05305
Equipment	Male	157	1.6799	0.74884	0.05976
	Female	256	1.5518	0.86660	0.05416
Materials	Male	157	2.0170	0.78971	0.06303
	Female	256	1.6016	0.79657	0.04979
Finance	Male	157	1.8769	0.74658	0.05958
	Female	256	1.4701	0.73087	0.04568
Time	Male	157	1.8790	0.75500	0.06026
	Female	256	1.5547	0.75929	0.04746
Policy implementation	Male	157	2.8790	0.55730	0.04448
	Female	256	2.7070	1.06555	0.06660
Monitoring and evaluation	Male	157	2.0464	.54644	0.04361
	Female	256	1.7176	.76067	0.04754
Perceive relevance	Male	157	3.3592	.44835	0.03578
	Female	256	2.6137	1.03181	0.06449
Career success	Male	157	2.9968	.48391	0.03862
	Female	256	3.2563	.54438	0.03402

Scale: 1.5–1.9 = very low; 2.0–2.4 = low; 2.5–2.9 = high; 3.0–3.4 = very high.

Source: Field data (2022).

Table 9. Effect of gender on perception of the factors.

	Gender of respondents	N	Mean	Std. dev.	Std. error	Levene’s test for equality of variances		t-test for equality of means		Eta squared
						F	Sig.	t	Sig. (2-tailed)
Human resource	Male	157	2.3615	0.49224	0.03929	13.789	0.000	2.603	0.010	0.016
	Female	256	2.4844	0.41921	0.02620
Office complex	Male	157	2.3089	0.79266	0.06326	1.066	0.302	2.215	0.027	0.011
	Female	256	2.1230	0.84887	0.05305
Equipment	Male	157	1.6799	0.74884	0.05976	2.951	0.087	1.535	0.126	0.006
	Female	256	1.5518	0.86660	0.05416
Materials	Male	157	2.0170	0.78971	0.06303	1.263	0.262	5.162	0.000	0.061
	Female	256	1.6016	0.79657	0.04979
Finance	Male	157	1.8769	0.74658	0.05958	0.007	0.935	5.446	0.000	0.067
	Female	256	1.4701	0.73087	0.04568
Time	Male	157	1.8790	0.75500	0.06026	0.048	0.827	4.222	0.000	0.042
	Female	256	1.5547	0.75929	0.04746
Policy implem.	Male	157	2.8790	0.55730	0.04448	75.906	0.000	2.147	0.032	0.011
	Female	256	2.7070	1.06555	0.06660
M & E	Male	157	2.0464	0.54644	0.04361	46.369	0.000	5.096	0.000	0.059
	Female	256	1.7176	0.76067	0.04754
Perceive relevance	Male	157	3.3592	0.44835	0.03578	195.126	0.000	10.109	0.000	0.178
	Female	256	2.6137	1.03181	0.06449
Career success	Male	157	2.9968	0.48391	0.03862	1.818	0.178	4.902	0.000	0.055
	Female	256	3.2563	0.54438	0.03402

Scale: 1.5–1.9 = very low; 2.0–2.4 = low; 2.5–2.9 = high; 3.0–3.4 = very high.

Source: Field data (2022).

Table

Variables	Number of items	Cronbach’s alpha
Attitude of stakeholders	21	0.911
Policy implementation	4	0.871
Monitoring and evaluation	7	0.888
Perceived relevance	10	0.968
Career success	8	0.921
Overall	50	0.928

Availability of data and materials

The datasets for this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.