ABSTRACTAlthough it is estimated that over 38.24 million children are involved in child labour in sub‐Saharan Africa, recent evidence indicates minor improvements in reducing the prevalence of child labour. These improvements are partly attributed to efforts by international, multinational and local child welfare organizations to promote communities' understanding and acceptance of child labour as an undesirable activity. Knowing child labour and accepting it to be undesirable is the crux for preventing and reducing child labour. This study involved interviews with 50 community members (40 parents and 10 community leaders) across four fishing and cocoa communities in Ghana to unravel contemporary contextual understandings of child labour in Ghana to inform targeted intervention to accelerate prevention. The study revealed (1) the nature of work, (2) hours spent on the work and (3) age appropriateness, as the three foci of definition. In addition to some divergence, there were nuances in definitions, including child fatigue, child capability, child work versus child labour and the act of sending children to the farm for supervision, which could negatively promote child labour. Gaps, including a lack of understanding of child labour and education and the adverse impact of child labour, were identified.
Alhassan Abdullah, Felix Mensah, Enoch B. Amponsah
The research examined family friendly policies and gender equality in Rivers State Civil Service from 2015 to 2025. Guided by two specific objectives, two research questions, and two research hypotheses, the investigation examined the implementation of gender equality and family-friendly policies, assessed their impact, analyzed factors militating against their effectiveness, and proposed strategies for improvement. The research was anchored on Role Congruity Theory. A descriptive survey design was adopted with a population comprising 611 civil servants. Using Taro Yamane's formula, a sample of 250 respondents was selected through stratified random sampling. Primary data were collected using the Gender Equality and Family-Friendly Policies in Selected Ministries Questionnaire (GEFFPSMRSQ) comprising 40 items, which demonstrated excellent reliability (Cronbach's alpha = 0.81 0.88, test-retest correlation = 0.83). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, with a criterion mean of 2.50. The findings revealed moderate implementation levels (grand mean 2.63) with critical gaps in resource allocation (mean 2.33), monitoring systems (mean 2.33), and child-care support accessibility (mean 2.34). Impact assessment demonstrated moderate positive outcomes (grand mean 2.73) with flexible working hours producing the strongest benefits (mean 3.02), but substantial gender disparities in male paternity leave utilization (mean 2.32, below the criterion threshold). Analysis of constraining factors confirmed substantial barriers (grand mean 3.03), with traditional gender role expectations ranking highest (mean 3.20), cultural stigma second (mean 3.17), and resource constraints third (means 3.08–3.09). The study concluded that while the Rivers State Family-Friendly Workplace Policy enacted in 2016 established formal frameworks, substantial gaps persist between policy intentions and implementation outcomes, with cultural barriers exceedingly even resource constraints in impeding effectiveness. The study recommended that Government should establish a dedicated Family-Friendly Policy Implementation Fund, implement targeted interventions to increase male policy utilization, prioritize cultural transformation through sustained campaigns, and establish a Family-Friendly Policy Coordination Committee to harmonize implementation across both ministries.
This study evaluated the effect of Behavioural Classroom Management (BCM) on the Mathematics academic engagement and performance of upper primary pupils with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area, Rivers State, Nigeria. Three research questions and three null hypotheses guided the study, tested at a 0.05 level of significance. The study adopted a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest non-equivalent control group design. The target population comprised approximately 27,500 upper primary school pupils across 55 public primary schools in Obio-Akpor LGA. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select 12 schools, yielding a sample size of 216 upper primary pupils identified with ADHD behaviors across three intact group conditions: Experimental Group 1 (Class Rules, 𝑛=60), Experimental Group 2 (Structured Routines, 𝑛=49), and Control Group (Conventional Instruction, 𝑛=107). Data were collected using a researcher-developed instrument titled "Behavioural Classroom Management on Mathematics Academic Engagement" (BCMMAE), which was validated by three experts in Educational Measurement and Evaluation and Primary Education/Curriculum Studies. The instrument yielded an internal consistency coefficient of 0.82 via Kuder-Richardson Formula 20 (KR-20). Mean (𝑋̅) and Standard Deviation (𝑆𝐷) were used to answer the research questions, while Paired-Samples t-Test and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) were used to test the null hypotheses. Results revealed that both explicit class rules (Mean Gain=22.17,𝑡=28.79,𝑝<0.05) and structured daily routines (Mean Gain= 25.70,𝑡=40.13,𝑝<0.05) produced statistically significant gains in posttest Mathematics performance among pupils with ADHD. ANCOVA results confirmed a significant main effect of intervention type across groups (𝐹2,212=377.54,𝑝<0.05), with structured daily routines demonstrating the highest efficacy, while conventional instruction yielded minimal improvement (Mean Gain=4.25). It was concluded that proactive BCM strategies serve as effective external cognitive scaffolds for neurodivergent learners. It is recommended, among others, that primary school Mathematics teachers systematically integrate structured daily routines and co-created, positively stated class rules into daily classroom instruction, while the Rivers State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) should provide targeted professional development on proactive behavioral interventions.
BACKGROUND: Assistive devices can benefit a wide range of people, including those living with disabilities; those affected by severe forms of disease or trauma; and those requiring rehabilitation. Access to these devices is limited in low- and middle-income countries. PURPOSE: The study explored parents' perspectives on the availability and use of assistive devices among children with cerebral palsy at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital in Ghana. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An explorative qualitative research design was employed, with purposive sampling used in recruiting parents of children with cerebral palsy. Data were collected through in-depth, face-to-face interviews using a semi-structured interview guide. Data were analysed through thematic analysis. RESULTS: Three main themes emerged: (1) parents' knowledge and understanding of assistive devices, (2) parents' experiences of children's usage of assistive devices, and (3) availability and accessibility of assistive devices for children with cerebral palsy. Participants demonstrated basic knowledge of assistive devices, mainly identifying mobility aids such as wheelchairs and walkers. While some expressed satisfaction with the benefits of these devices, others were dissatisfied with the limited range and lack of advanced technologies. Significant barriers to access were identified, including limited availability, complex acquisition processes, delays in obtaining devices, and high costs. CONCLUSION: The study concludes that, among children with cerebral palsy, access to assistive devices is constrained not only by the availability of the devices but also by a mismatch between children's individual functional needs and the type, affordability, and accessibility.
Comfort Ama Osei, Richard Kwaku Bawah, James Nii Amar Aryiku et al.
OBJECTIVE: To explore the readiness of health managers to integrate effective coverage into routine monitoring of maternal and child health (MCH) services in two rural districts of Ghana. METHODS: An exploratory qualitative study was conducted among purposively selected district and subdistrict health managers in Kintampo North and Kintampo South, Ghana. Two rounds of in-depth interviews explored participants' perceptions and implementation considerations regarding the use of effective coverage. Between the two rounds, participants took part in a 3-month pilot implementation phase. This phase included workshops, hands-on training and planning sessions. During this period, participants were trained to compute and interpret effective coverage using routine data and to explore its application to MCH monitoring and evaluation. Data were analysed thematically in NVivo V.17 using Braun and Clarke's six-phase approach. RESULTS: Following the learning sessions, participants reported an understanding of the components of effective coverage and how to compute and apply the indicator using routine district data. They also reported confidence in computing and interpreting the indicator. In the follow-up interviews, participants expressed willingness to integrate the indicator into routine monitoring processes. However, they identified technical and logistical challenges and inadequate data in the current national health information management system. CONCLUSION: Health managers in rural Ghana expressed willingness to integrate effective coverage into the routine monitoring and evaluation of MCH programmes. However, limited availability of routine data within the national health information management system remains a major barrier to implementation.
Ferguson Saapiire, Charlotte Tawiah, Francis Agbokey et al.
Sierra Leone's health system remains highly dependent on external aid, with donor funding accounting for approximately 47% of total health expenditure between 2020 and 2024, compared with a government contribution of around 25-26%. Recent reductions in development assistance for health, including a sharp in-year contraction of USAID-supported health programming during 2024-25 and an approximately 15% reduction in Global Fund allocations, have exposed major structural vulnerabilities in the health financing system. We conducted a rapid mixed-methods study to examine the effects of recent and anticipated aid reductions and the resilience responses emerging across Sierra Leone's health system. The study drew on a review of 19 documents and 11 key informant interviews with stakeholders from government, development partners, civil society, non-governmental organisations, and independent experts. Documentary and interview data were analysed descriptively and thematically, and findings were integrated during interpretation. Several service areas were identified as highly exposed to financing disruption, including reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health, HIV, tuberculosis, immunisation, and pharmaceutical supply chains. However, available evidence indicates that immediate service disruptions have so far been limited, and current data do not support firm conclusions about which services have been most affected. Maternal health and immunisation indicators remained comparatively stable in the short term. Documents and interviewees indicated that absorptive responses have prioritised core commodities and selected priority services, while reducing expenditure on outreach, supervision, training, logistics, and other enabling functions. Interviewees reported that households were absorbing much of the financial burden through increased out-of-pocket spending, forgone care, and informal coping mechanisms. Sierra Leone's response shows elements of absorptive and adaptive resilience, but several coping strategies show features consistent with maladaptive resilience and risk becoming maladaptive if prolonged, because they shift costs downward, threaten to deepen inequity, and erode the operational foundations of the health system.
Augustus Osborne, Maria Paola Bertone, Halimatu Kamara et al.
BACKGROUND: Evidence on paediatric mpox during contemporary African clade IIb outbreaks remains limited. We described paediatric cases in Sierra Leone's 2024-2025 clade IIb G.1 outbreak by person, time, and place and examined clinical care, outcomes, vaccination records, and documented exposures. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We conducted a retrospective descriptive study using the national District Health Information Software 2 (DHIS2) mpox database, supplemented by patient charts and outbreak-investigation forms. Among 5,466 cases with recorded age, 415 (7.6%) were children younger than 15 years; 188 (45.3%) were aged 0-4 years, 121 (29.2%) were aged 5-9 years, and 106 (25.5%) were aged 10-14 years. Of 415 paediatric cases, 411 were laboratory-confirmed. Outcome was recorded for 261 children; three died (1.1%, exact 95% CI 0.2 to 3.3). Care location was recorded for 285 children; 216 (75.8%) received hospital care for isolation, clinical management, or both. Three sporadic paediatric cases of mpox-like illness were reported from 2017 through 2024; notifications then rose rapidly from April 2025 and peaked in May. Western Area Urban accounted for 195/413 cases with known district; crude notified paediatric rates were highest in Western Area Urban, Koinadugu, and Falaba. Household or caregiving contact was the most common documented exposure among 246 classifiable investigation forms (141, 57.3%). Mpox vaccination status was recorded for 27/54 cases aged 12-14 years; six were vaccinated. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Children were not spared during Sierra Leone's clade IIb outbreak. Response plans should include children in case finding, contact follow-up, clinical care, and vaccination assessment. DHIS2 should capture epidemiologic links, clinical outcomes, vaccine eligibility and status, and potential exposure settings through standardised fields.
Eric Nzirakaindi Ikoona, Lucy Namulemo, Mary Magdalene Sinnah et al.
This article explores the historical evolution, sociocultural significance, and contemporary relevance of the Boys’ Brigade (BB), one of the world’s oldest uniformed Christian youth organizations, with a specific focus on its introduction and development in Ghana. Founded in 1883 in Glasgow, Scotland, by Sir William Alexander Smith, the Boys’ Brigade was conceived to instil Christian values, discipline, and leadership in boys through a structured quasi-military framework. The movement rapidly expanded across the British Empire and found fertile ground in colonial Africa as a tool for both missionary work and moral formation. The study traces the formal introduction of the Boys’ Brigade to the Gold Coast (now Ghana) in 1911 by Reverend Herman Noah Annan at the Christiansborg Presbyterian Church, Osu. Through a qualitative historical-sociological methodology, including archivalrecords, church documents, and scholarly literature, the article reconstructs the Brigade’s institutional growth and examines its role in youth socialization and civic education. It further analyses how the BB in Ghana indigenized its practices while maintaining its Christian ethos, contributing significantly to moral development, leadership training, and national cohesion. The paper also highlights the contemporary challenges and adaptations facing the organization in the 21st century. These include declining youth engagement, resource constraints, and the need for greater inclusivity and mental health awareness. Notable alumni such as former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia exemplify the BB’s enduring influence on Ghana’s civic and leadership landscape. Additionally, the article discusses comparable youth organizations and outlines recent global initiatives within the BB movement aimed at addressing gender equity and emotional wellbeing. The study concludes that while the Boys’ Brigade faces modern pressures, its foundational principles remain vital. With strategic reforms and context-sensitive innovations, the BB can continue to be a cornerstone of youth development in Ghana and beyond.
Child mortality remains a pressing public health concern in Nigeria, with significant implications for gender equality and national development. Parental leave policies play a crucial role in reducing child mortality rates by ensuring that infants receive adequate care, breastfeeding, and medical attention in the critical early months of life. These policies simultaneously serve as a proxy measure for gender equality, particularly in terms of redistributing caregiving responsibilities, supporting women’s workforce participation, and equal contribution to national development. However, how parental leave policies are operationalised across public and private sectors not only vary and poorly understood, but also how this relates to gender equality has not been adequately interrogated. How does parental leave policy in Nigeria’s public and private sectors impact child mortality rates? What is their variation(s), if any, and how do they influence gender equality? This paper examines the relationship between child mortality, parental leave, and gender equality in Nigeria’s public and private sectors. The study adopts Motherism and human capital theory as its theoretical guide, secondary data to explore disparities in leave entitlements, workplace policies, gender equality, and their broader socio-economic implications.
This study investigated the effect of a teacher-guided interactive mobile-based storytelling method on vocabulary retention of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) learners within the Calabar Educational Zone of Cross River State, Nigeria. A quasi-experimental pre-test post-test non-equivalent control group design was adopted for the research. The population comprises 17,795 individuals, consisting of 1,756 caregivers and teachers as well as 16,038 preschool children in 439 ECCE/Creche centres in the Calabar Educational Zone of Cross River State. Multistage sampling technique was adopted to obtain a sample of 391 participants consisting of 111 caregivers and teachers and 280 preschoolers selected from 49 ECCE/Creche centres in the same educational zone. Three instruments; Vocabulary Retention Test (VRT), Teacher Perception and Readiness Questionnaire (TPRQ), and Classroom Observation Checklist (COC) were used for the collection of data. The three instruments were validated by experts in relevant fields while an overall reliability index of 0.81 was obtained using the Cronbach Alpha reliability coefficient. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) as well as inferential statistics, namely Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) and independent samples t-test, and all tests were conducted at 0.05 level of significance. The result showed that there was no significant difference in the pre-test performance (Baseline) vocabulary level of learners of both the experimental (M=12.84, SD=2.31) and control groups (M=12.67, SD=2.28). However, the performance in terms of the post-test level indicated that learners exposed to teacher guided mobile-based storytelling method showed statistically higher vocabulary retention (M=24.81, SD=2.62) compared to learners taught using the traditional storytelling method (M=17.94, SD=2.83). The result also shows that at four-week delayed post-test, the experimental group maintained a higher score (Mean=23.73, SD=2.48) than the control group (Mean =15.86, SD=2.91) in the retention vocabulary test. ANCOVA performed revealed a significant influence of the treatment on the vocabulary retention of the learners (F=104.95, p<0.001, Partial η²=.275), and the teachers showed a positive perception and readiness (Grand Mean=3.70) towards integrating mobile storytelling in teaching vocabulary. The study concluded that the teacher guided interactive mobile-based storytelling is an effective instructional method for improving learners’ vocabulary acquisition and retention. Therefore, this study recommends that mobile based stories could be integrated into the ECCE curriculum to improve learner’s vocabulary.
