Freedom to choose within limits: Teacher Autonomy from the Perspectives of Basic School Teachers in the Central Region of Ghana

The study examined the level of autonomy among basic school teachers in the Central Region of Ghana as well as the effect of teacher demographic characteristics (gender, age and teaching experience) on the level of teacher autonomy. The study used the explanatory sequential (Quan-qual) design where different but complementary data were collected. Through the systematic sampling technique, a total of 315 basic school teachers were involved in the quantitative phase whilst 12 teachers (who were previously surveyed at the quantitative phase) were purposely sampled for the qualitative phase of the study. A continuous validated Likert-scale questionnaire comprising 18 items was adapted from Pearson and Hall (1993) and used for the quantitative phase. Using findings from the quantitative phase as basis, a semi-structured interview guide was designed to collect data to further elaborate the study’s key findings. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the quantitative data whilst the interview was analysed thematically. The study revealed that teachers in the Central Region of Ghana hold positive perceptions about their autonomy with the level of autonomy being moderate. Positively, the study revealed that teacher autonomy is affected by gender whilst age and teaching experience affects their level of autonomy negatively. Based on the findings, it is recommended that the Ghana Education Service (GES) and school heads should periodically organize programmes that target conscientising the basic school teachers about the extent of autonomy that they have in the process of implementing the curriculum. With regard to the demographic characteristics of the teachers, school activities should be planned in a manner that encourage full exercise of autonomy irrespective of one’s gender, age or teaching experience.