Factors contributing to spatial inequality in academic achievement in Ghana: Analysis of district-level factors using geographically weighted regression

Like most Sub-Saharan African countries, Ghana's basic educational system continues to undergo reform,
receiving substantial investment to ensure all citizens have access to quality educational opportunities
regardless of where they live. Although the reforms have markedly improved access to education at the
junior high school level, the overall level of academic achievement among Ghana's population remains
low, especially in deprived areas of the country. The low rate of achievement warrants examination
because the lack of education hampers social mobility and constrains the ability of pupils from deprived
communities to progress up the academic ladder. This study uses spatial modeling tools and district-level
data to examine spatial variability in rates of academic achievement among districts in Ghana, and to
investigate the differential effects of macro-level factors on academic achievement. Analysis reveals two
key findings: (a) the existing pattern of spatial inequality primarily favors academic achievement of
students in the Middle and Southern Belt regions of Ghana; and (b) factors contributing to academic
achievement vary spatially, with the significance level, magnitude, and direction of relationship varying
from one district to another. The study demonstrates the quintessence of an approach to educational
development that emphasizes decentralization, thereby allowing educational investments and interventions
to be tailored to local needs.