Students’ participation in decision-making in health training institutions in the Greater Accra Region

Abstract

Decision-making is a tool of effective governance in all successful institutions whether it is corporate, educational or other. It was in line with that this study was undertaken to assess students’ participation in decision-making in the health training institutions in Accra.The accessible population, which comprised all students in all the health training institutions in Accra, was 860. Out of this the total sample used for the study was 394.The survey research quantitative paradigm was used and both purposive and random sampling techniques were used in collecting data using a questionnaire. After pilot testing the instrument used for data collection, the Cronbach’s alpha was calculated for the reliability coefficient. The result was 0.7 and was accepted for use by my supervisor and other experts. Some of the findings from the study included the views that students must be actively involved in taking decisions and to a large extent they perceived their participation in decision-making as a means of promoting students’ commitment to decisions made. They had a priority in seeking to be included to plan their menu for each semester. They however feared being victimized if allowed participation. Some of the recommendations made included the need for the principals to assess the current trend of students’ participation in decision-making in their schools and make more student involvement in decision-making. In addition the Ministry of Health should come out with directives which will allow students opportunity to be involved in decision-making at their institution’s level.