This dissertation examines female students schooling experiences within the Accra – Tema district of Ghana. The case study centers and privileges the stories and experiences of girls and present them in their own voices to uncover their knowledge of ongoing educational reforms, challenges they encounter, opportunities made available to them, and the kind of interactions/relations they have with teachers and peers. The ongoing comprehensive educational reforms including the FCUBE program have resulted in improvements in girls enrollment at all levels of education. Yet, female students still experience many forms of discriminations and inequalities in educational access and participation. The continuing marginalization of female students by educational policy discourses and practices is untenable and need redress. Multiple obstacles that hamper gender equity education include the lack of financial resources, ingrained gender biased cultural practices, limited institutional support with effective policies and the lack of gender focused research to capture female students’ experiences.
This study draws on postmodern feminist frameworks to collect, analyze and discuss data collated from fifteen girls on their schooling experiences. The findings of the study are presented to reflect accurately the stories and experiences of participants and raise awareness of their schooling predicaments. The voices of girls are privileged to provide vital information and data that policy makers, educators and stakeholder may find useful in transforming education. The study also provides meaningful theoretical and practical insights of alternative approach in policy research and analysis to examine educational outcomes in Ghana.
The findings of the study indicate that girls are limited in their knowledge of the FCUBE and other educational reform programs. They experience many forms of discrimination, sexual abuse and gender stereotypes on a regular basis in school. The lack of school amenities such as libraries, laboratories, classrooms and basic facilities have all added to the negative experiences of girls in schools.
The study recommends that a comprehensive approach to educational reforms must include changes in policy, practice and research approaches to effect gender equality in education. The voices, stories and experiences of female students must be incorporated in the conversations, design and implementation of policy reforms. The study advocates for effective collaboration among stakeholders including policy makers, researchers, parents, educators and international community to ensure that Ghana meets its Millennium Development Goal target by the year 2015. In addition efforts should be made to create schooling environments that honors and respects equal access and participation of all children irrespective of gender because issues of gender equality are issues of human right and social justice which are not negotiable.