Implementation of the Standards-Based Curriculum in Ghanaian Senior High Schools: Professional Learning Communities and Teachers’ Self-Efficacy

Abstract

This study examined the influence of professional learning community (PLC) engagement on teachers’ self-efficacy in implementing the Standards-Based Curriculum (SBC) in Ghanaian Senior High Schools. The study was anchored in the integration of social cognitive theory and sociocultural theory. A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was adopted within a quantitative research approach. The study population comprised all 480 teachers from twelve public Senior High Schools in the Central Region of Ghana. A census method was used, involving all 480 teachers, of whom 468 successfully completed and returned the questionnaire, representing a response rate of 97.50%. Data were collected using a structured closed-ended questionnaire adapted from validated instruments. The collected data were coded, entered, and cleaned using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 27. Descriptive statistics including frequencies and percentages were used to analyse the demographic characteristics. Following data screening and preparation, the hypothesised model was analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS version 4.1.1.4. The results indicated that there was a statistically significant positive influence of PLCs on teachers’ self-efficacy in implementing the SBC. Senior High Schools teachers’ engagement in professional learning communities is essential for enhancing their self-efficacy and improving the effective implementation of the SBC in Ghanaian Senior High Schools. The study concluded that effective professional learning communities strengthen teachers’ self-efficacy by providing collaborative learning opportunities, supportive professional relationships, and organisational conditions that enhance teachers’ capacity to implement the SBC successfully. It is therefore recommended that the Ghana Education Service, Regional and District Education Directorates, and Senior High School administrators should strengthen professional learning communities by promoting collaborative professional learning, meaningful teacher participation in instructional decision-making, supportive professional cultures, and organisational structures that facilitate continuous teacher development.