Impact of the Quality of Free Senior High School Policy Pedagogy Content of Curriculum on Graduate Employability in Ghana.

Abstract

The Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy introduced in Ghana in 2017 significantly expanded access to secondary education, yet concerns persist regarding the employability of its graduates. This study examines the impact of the quality of Free SHS pedagogy and curriculum content on graduate employability in Ghana. Anchored in Human Capital Theory and Skills Mismatch Theory, the study adopted a quantitative cross sectional survey design. Data were collected through structured questionnaires administered to 254 teachers and 92 Free SHS graduates drawn from 24 public senior high schools across Ghana’s Northern, Forest, and Coastal ecological zones. Descriptive statistics, the Relative Importance Index (RII), and multiple regression analysis were employed using SPSS.
Findings from teachers indicate that the curriculum’s pedagogical content has a moderate impact on graduate employability (composite mean = 3.26), with strengths in personalized and culturally responsive teaching but notable deficiencies in critical thinking, problem-solving, and teacher professional training. Graduates similarly perceived the curriculum as positively influencing overall employability (RII = 0.767), vocational skills, and career alignment, while highlighting gaps in teamwork, technical skills, and hands-on practical learning. Regression results reveal that both the Free SHS policy and the quality of pedagogy content significantly predict graduate employability, with pedagogy quality exerting a stronger effect (β = 0.737, p < 0.05).
The study concludes that while the Free SHS curriculum contributes positively to employability, its effectiveness is constrained by limited emphasis on experiential learning, technical skills, and teacher capacity building. Strengthening curriculum quality and pedagogy is therefore critical to improving graduate employability and aligning secondary education with Ghana’s labour-market demands.