Governing Council Functions and Teaching Performance of Public Universities in Ghana

This study examines the influence of governing council functions on teaching performance in public universities in Ghana. Drawing on agency, stewardship, and resource dependence theories, the study adopts a mixed-methods approach using a convergent parallel design. Quantitative data were collected from 409 academic staff across three public universities, while qualitative insights were obtained from 12 key informants. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) were employed for analysis. The findings reveal that governing council functions—strategic direction, performance evaluation, accountability, leadership appointment, and financial oversight—have significant positive effects on teaching performance. Leadership appointment (β = 0.36) and strategic direction (β = 0.31) emerged as the strongest predictors, while financial oversight showed the weakest effect (β = 0.15). Qualitative findings highlight challenges such as political interference and limited technical capacity. The study concludes that strengthening governance capacity and accountability mechanisms is critical for improving teaching performance in Ghanaian public universities.

University governance; Governing councils

1. Altbach, P. G., Reisberg, L., & de Wit, H. (2019). Responding to massification: Differentiation in postsecondary education worldwide. Sense Publishers. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. Creswell, J. W., & Plano Clark, V. L. (2018). Designing and conducting mixed methods research. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Davis, J. H., Schoorman, F. D., & Donaldson, L. (1997). Toward a stewardship theory of management. Academy of Management Review, 22(1), 20–47. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. Effah, P., & Asante, K. (2020). Governance and management of higher education institutions in Ghana. International Journal of Educational Development, 75, 102174. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Effah, P., & Asante, K. (2020). Governance in Ghana. International Journal of Educational Hair, J. F., et al. (2019). Multivariate data analysis. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Jensen, M. C., & Meckling, W. H. (1976). Theory of the firm: Managerial behavior, agency costs and ownership structure. Journal of Financial Economics, 3(4), 305–360. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Johnstone, D. B. (2004). The economics and politics of cost sharing in higher education. Economics of Education Review, 23(4), 403–410. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. Middlehurst, R. (2013). Changing internal governance: A discussion of leadership roles and management structures in UK universities. Higher Education Quarterly, 67(3), 297–312. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. OECD. (2020). Education at a glance 2020: OECD indicators. OECD Publishing. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. Okyere, E. D. (2022). University governance and institutional performance in Ghana. African Educational Research Journal, 10(2), 85–97. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. Pfeffer, J., & Salancik, G. R. (1978). The external control of organizations: A resource dependence perspective. Harper & Row. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. Saint, W., Hartnett, T. A., & Strassner, E. (2003). Higher education in Nigeria: A status report. Higher Education Policy, 16(3), 259–281. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. Shattock, M. (2010). Managing successful universities. Open University Press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• Assessment of the Role of Artificial Intelligence in Repositioning TVET for Economic Development in Nigeria
• Teachers’ Use of Assure Model Instructional Design on Learners’ Problem Solving Efficacy in Secondary Schools in Bungoma County, Kenya
• “E-Booksan Ang Kaalaman”: Development, Validation, and Utilization of Electronic Book in Academic Performance of Grade 9 Students in Social Studies
• Analyzing EFL University Students’ Academic Speaking Skills Through Self-Recorded Video Presentation
• Major Findings of The Study on Total Quality Management in Teachers’ Education Institutions (TEIs) In Assam – An Evaluative Study