The role of the Government in addressing social issues in Ghana: The perceptions of Ghanaian undergraduate social work students

Abstract

Summary

Data for this exploratory study were drawn from a sample of 185 Ghanaian social work students from one university in Ghana in the Fall of 2010. Complementary log–log ordinal logistic regressions were run to analyze the relationship between Ghanaian social work students’ sociodemographic variables and their perceptions of the central government’s role in addressing social issues in Ghana.

Findings

The results of this study demonstrated that there are indeed differences between Ghanaian social work students by age, gender, marital status, and number of children on their perceptions of the role of the government in addressing social issues in Ghana. The findings revealed that social work students who were female, younger, nonmarried, or without children were more likely to perceive that the government should ensure employment, health insurance, and equal opportunities to Ghanaians. Moreover, the findings revealed that social work students with one or more children were less likely to perceive that the government should ensure health insurance.

Applications

Social work administrators and educators may wish to make several changes to undergraduate social work students’ coursework and practicum placement training that requires social work students to take and complete (a) theoretical courses that emphasize concepts associated with human rights and social justice, (b) diversity courses that emphasize the intersection between age, gender, marital status, poverty, and inequality in Ghana, (c) macro courses that emphasize the historical, political, economic, and social realms of the district, regional, and central governments in Ghana, and (d) practicum placements at macro public sector organizations.

Keywords

Social work education Ghana government poverty social welfare policy students

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