EFFECTS OF THE SCHOOL CAPITATION GRANTS ON BASIC SCHOOL ENROLMENT AND ATTENDANCE IN THE WA MUNICIPALITY OF GHANA

Abstract

This study seeks to assess the School Capitation Grant Policy on Basic School enrolment and attendance in the Wa municipality of Ghana. The study adapted the utilization of capitation grant by Yoshiaka (2010), by assessing the role of capitation grant in basic enrolment, attendance and retention in the Wa Municipality. Schools that were in existence before the inception of the program and have benefited from the program were specifically targeted. Exploratory research design was used. Stratified random sampling was used to group beneficiary schools into two strata; Urban and Peri- Urban schools, and simple random sampling used to select 70 schools out the 85 beneficiary schools. Enrolment figures were compared between the pre and post capitation grant era. The study provided mixed findings on the influence of the GSCGP on enrolment, attendance and retention of pupils in basic schools in the Wa Municipality. Respondents acknowledged the role of the GSCGP in increasing gross enrolment after the implementation of the policy. However, other factors aside the Ghana School Capitation Grant, like the Ghana School Feeding program also contributed to increases in enrolment, attendance and retention. The study also reveals challenges confronting the implementation of the capitation policy. It is recommended that the program be restructured to give special attention to female education as contained in the manual for implementation of the program. In an attempt to expand the scale of the policy by increasing the amount per pupil, management should give priority to schools with wide gender disparity.