Pedagogical, Economic, and Cultural Determinants of Low Sculpture Enrollment in Upper East Region Senior High Schools

Abstract

This paper examined the pedagogical, economic, and cultural factors that contribute to low sculpture enrolment among the Senior High School students in the Upper East Region of Ghana. A convergent mixed-methods design was employed, combining quantitative survey data of 312 participants (including students, teachers, and parents) in six schools with qualitative data of 24 semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions. The study was guided by Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory to explore the relationship between self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and environmental factors and their effects on the students’ choices in sculpture education. The results showed that negative attitudes of parents, insufficient infrastructure, limited career awareness, and socioeconomic barriers deterred sculpture enrollment. The regression analysis showed that perceived career prospects (β = 0.298, p <.05), parental influence (β = -0.342, p <.05), and resource availability (β = 0.267, p <.05) were important predictors of enrollment intentions. These patterns were supported by qualitative research results, which identified cultural misunderstandings regarding the artistic professions and the systematic disregard of the creative arts programmes. The study contributes to the discourse on vocational education policy in Ghana and offers practical recommendations for educators and policymakers.