Abstract:
The study sought to evaluate the state of teaching and learning of Religious and Moral
Education in Junior High Schools in the Sissala East Municipality of the Upper West
Region. The study was anchored on the pragmatist philosophy, influenced by the
mixed method approach and directed by the sequential explanatory mixed method
design. Five hundred and twenty (520) respondents, consisting 491 students and
twenty-nine (29) RME teachers formed the sample size for the study. The simple
random and purposive sampling techniques were employed to select respondents for
the study. Data were collected using closed ended questionnaire, interview guide, and
observation checklist. Data were analysed using mean, standard deviation, thematic
analysis and frequency counts. The findings revealed that teachers have positive
perceptions regarding the teaching and learning of RME within the Sisaala East
Municipality. It also revealed that teachers acknowledge the difficulty of teaching
abstract concepts, integrating multiple religions, aligning appropriate methods to
topics, and acquiring comprehensive knowledge of different religions. Also, students‘
attitudes towards the teaching and learning of RME within the Sisaala East
Municipality reveals several important insights. The limited availability of textbooks,
teachers‘ handbooks, visual materials, audio materials, audio-visual resources,
religious objects, resource persons, and even some aspects of the course curriculum
may pose challenges to teachers in delivering comprehensive and engaging lessons.
Based on the findings and conclusions drawn it was recommended that Headteachers
should provide additional training and support for RME teachers to address the
challenges they face in teaching abstract concepts and integrating multiple religions.
Policy makers should ensure that there is sufficient time allocation in the curriculum
for teaching RME to ensure that teachers have adequate opportunities to cover the
content comprehensively.
Description:
A thesis in the Department of Basic Education, School of
Education and Life-Long Learning, submitted to the School of
Graduate Studies, in partial fulfilment
of the requirements for the award of the degree of
Master of Philosophy
(Basic Education)
in the University of Education, Winneba
