From Curriculum Values to School Conduct: A Secondary Document Analysis of Ghanaian Senior High Schools

Gilbert  Boakye

doi:10.35877/454RI.eduline5049

Authors

Gilbert Boakye Africa Rising TV

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.35877/454RI.eduline5049

Keywords:

Academic Integrity, School Climate, Student Discipline, Teacher Professionalism, Values Education

Abstract

This study examined how national values translate into expectations for student behavior and teacher conduct and developed a Ghana-specific implementation framework. Qualitative document analysis was conducted on nine core documents, including policy and curriculum texts, teacher standards, teacher and student conduct codes, and three Ghanaian empirical studies, supplemented by four contextual examination-integrity sources. Sources were purposively selected, coded, and interpreted through the lenses of social learning, ecological systems, social control, strain, and routine activity theories. The corpus presents a coherent values agenda of respect, diversity, equity, excellence, collaboration, truth, integrity, citizenship, learner dignity, and professional responsibility. However, district- and regional-level studies indicate implementation challenges, including peer and family influences, teacher-student relationships, inconsistent rule enforcement, counseling capacity, and adult participation in examination malpractice. The proposed Values-Based School Climate Framework (VBSCF) integrates curriculum enactment, teacher modeling, fair accountability, restorative and counseling support, academic integrity, family-community partnership, and monitoring. Ghanaian policy does not lack values; the central challenge is aligning adult conduct, school routines, relational supports, and accountability with those values. The framework is a document-derived synthesis that requires validation.

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