TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES WITH OVERCROWDED CLASSROOMS IN A BASIC SCHOOL IN GHANA

Abstract

This research sought to investigate teachers’ experiences with overcrowded classrooms: the case of new Gbawe experimental 1 basic school in Ghana's Greater Accra region. The study explicitly followed a qualitative approach to research specifically a case study design. Unstructured questionnaires and Teacher observations were utilised in the process of generating the data. This investigation’s general results indicate that educators’ perceptions with overcrowded classrooms are ‘stressful’. Similarly, teachers described some situations in an overcrowded classroom which they defined as stressful. Some of the descriptions given by educators include insufficient learning environments, safety and health concerns, limited contact between pupils and educators, disruptive behaviour, emotional and mental challenges for educators, increased workload and insufficient time in the classroom. In addition, the factors contributing to traumatic experiences include lack of administrative support, lack of policy enforcement, insufficient teacher preparation and professional development and lack of teaching material for learning. Educators, however, suggested that they still had recourse to improvisation to allow them to handle overcrowded classrooms. Working on teacher best practices in overcrowded classrooms was suggested to be helpful in helping teachers who find themselves in such circumstances.

Keywords: Class size, classroom discipline, classroom management techniques, overcrowded classroom, public basic school teachers’ experiences.

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