Teacher Preparation and School Safety Measures in Ghana
Dr. Anthony Kudjo Donkor

Abstract
This paper examines school safety preparedness of institutional level practice with focus on basic school teachers in Ghana. The analysis of documents on teacher training or teacher preparation curriculum, one-on-one and focus group interviews with teachers and school leaders revealed that in all the thirty-eight teacher training institutions in Ghana where teachers are prepared for the nation’s basic education system, school safety is not taught as a full course. Thus, teachers are ill-equipped on school safety in basic schools. In addition, the educational system in Ghana does not have well-defined school safety policy for basic schools. The study confirmed the inadequate attention that policy makers and teacher training institutions in Ghana give to basic school safety. The bottom line is that basic school teachers and leaders in Ghana need to be equipped with some basic knowledge and skills in the management of school safety issues. The paper hopes to serve as a wake-up call for policy makers and educational agencies on the need to equip teachers with basic knowledge and skills in school safety, since safety inside the school is ultimately the responsibility of teachers and other school staff.

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