Do internship educational programme and motivation of teachers affect school performance? Empirical evidence from selected senior high schools in the Ashanti region of Ghana.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the extent to which the internship educational programme and motivation of teachers influence the effect of soft skills of teachers in senior high schools in the Ashanti region on the performance of the schools. The quantitative research involving explanatory design involved the survey of 215 teachers of senior high schools in the Ashanti Region of Ghana using a structured questionnaire. Data was analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistical analytical techniques. The inferential statistical tools included OLS hierarchical multivariate regression method, correlational analysis and Kendall’s non-parametric test. The result showed that soft skills of teachers in senior high schools in the form of communication, teamwork, professionalism, leadership, critical thinking, and problem-solving all positively influence the performance of the schools. The educational training programme for teachers in senior high schools in the form of internships positively and significantly improves the performance of schools. Motivational programmes for teachers in the form of career development in senior high schools positively and significantly affect the performance of the schools. The educational training programme in the form of an internship for senior high school teachers positively moderated the effect of communication and informational managerial skills on the performance of senior high schools. The motivational support for teachers in the form of career development positively moderated the effect of communication and professionalism skills on the performance of senior high schools. The factors perceived to inhibit the soft skills development of senior high school teachers were inadequate training on soft skills, lack of integrating soft skills in teaching, absence of well-communicated job descriptions, inadequate leadership competencies and grooming, inadequate infrastructure and technology, inadequate support from the school, inadequate support of policy and many others. The researchers of this study recommend school support for soft skills development, policy support for soft skills development, and training and workshop on soft skills development.