Asante Traditional Leadership and the Process
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ASANTE TRADITIONAL LEADERSHIP AND THE PROCESS OF EDUCATIONAL CHANGE A dissertation presented to the faculty of the College of Education of Ohio University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy NANA KWAKU WIAFE BROBBEY OWUSU-KWARTENG August 2005 © 2005 NANA KWAKU WIAFE BROBBEY OWUSU-KWARTENG All Rights Reserved This dissertation entitled ASANTE TRADITIONAL LEADERSHIP AND THE PROCESS OF EDUCATIONAL CHANGE By NANA KWAKU WIAFE BROBBEY OWUSU-KWARTENG has been approved for the Department of Educational Studies and the College of Education by William Stephen Howard Professor of Telecommunication James Heap Dean, the College of Education OWUSU-KWARTENG, NANA KWAKU WIAFE BROBBEY. Ph.D. August 2005 Educational Studies ASANTE TRADITIONAL LEADERSHIP AND THE PROCESS OF EDUCATIONAL CHANGE (222 pp) Director of Dissertation: William Stephen Howard, Ph.D. Abstract This study lies at the intersection of contemporary research on leadership and concerns for the performance of recent African leaders and theme of participation. It utilizes qualitative approaches to examine the issue of leadership and stakeholder participation in the role of Asante traditional leadership and the process of educational change in Ghana during the last quarter of the twentieth and the beginning of the twenty- first centuries and the representations that such participation holds for the rest of the country and Africa in the quest for relevant education systems, leadership functions and expectations of stakeholders. The call of the Asantehene (King of Asante), Otumfuo Osei Tutu II at his installation that improved and quality formal education should be a criterion of assessment for his reign; the subsequent establishment of the Otumfuo Education Fund and Offinsoman Education Trust Fund provided the background to formulate the study. Individual and focus group in-depth recorded interviews, life stories of participants, documents and text examination from primary official and secondary sources in the field constituted the mode for structuring the study. The results were revealing in the heights of expectation placed on Asante traditional leaders, the mobilization of external and local fiscal, manpower and material resources, networking possibilities and the reach of societal philosophies to catalyze the change agendas while reinventing their ages old legitimacies in a modern state. The involvement of Asante and other traditional leaders in the process of education change as role models, conflict mediators, gender advocators, agents of development, grantors of land, benefactors and providers of governance services in the schooling process from the local to the national levels were the norms of expectations and not the exceptions in these complementary but increasingly diverse and important roles. The reality beyond perception of traditional leaders’ interest in their citizens’ educational advancement- participation in governance, additions to school infrastructure, provision of incentive packages to both students and educators, stimulates education in their domains. Approved: William Stephen Howard Professor of Communication To the glory of God: Dedicated in memory of my parents, James Kwabena Owusu-Kwarteng and Agnes Afua Konadu Owusu-Kwarteng; sister, Agnes Adow Pinamang Owusu-Kwarteng; and to the future of the children of Maase-Offinso, a treasured part, of the Ghanaian and African entity. Acknowledgements My deepest, humbling appreciation and prayer of thanksgiving goes to God for abiding with and giving me the strength and courage to pass through the process of a doctoral program. My heartfelt gratitude goes to my mentor and dissertation advisor, Professor William Stephen Howard for years of diverse and patient support. My comprehensive exams and dissertation committee members- Dr. Najee Muhammad, College of Education, Dr. Lisa M. Aubrey, Political Science Department, Dr. Diane Ciekawy, Anthropology and Sociology Department, Ohio University and Dr. Abdinur S. Mohamud, Ohio Department of Education, deserve tons of earnest appreciation for the many suggestions and directions they provided by way of insightful questions, literature sources, and guidance throughout the process of working on the dissertation. The African Studies Program and Institute for the African Child at Ohio University provided funding and internship opportunities during my graduate and doctoral programs. I am humbled and grateful for the trust and faith invested and the congenial environment provided for me. My nuclear family- Sally, Papa Kwabena, Maame Afua Konadu and Nana Akosua Antwiwaa Owusu-Kwarteng, exhibited fortitude and understanding when I embarked on this quest in bearing strains and periods of separation to support me, thank you. Members of my extended family were equally supportive in my schooling endeavors especially my mother, Mrs. Agnes Afua Konadu Owusu-Kwarteng, who gave me countless early school day baths, my father Mr. James Owusu-Kwartneng who held my hand and walked me to school the first day; golden memories that are forever etched in the sands of time and my siblings who were there for me at various moments. Additionally, I acknowledge the support extended by the Offinsohene, Nana Wiafe Akenten III, Offinsohemaa, Nana Ama Serwaa Nyarko, the Offinso Traditional Council, Nana Owusuwaa Dufia Ankra, queen mother and the elders of Maase-Offinso for periods of absence from my traditional responsibilities and the Ghana Education Service for grants of study leave. Dr. K. E. & Mrs. Anna Appiah (Bomso Clinic, Kumasi), Daan & Betty Verboon of Massland-Holland, Rev. Fr. Mark Schramm, SVD and the late Mr. Yaw Konadu provided crucial support when most needed. Many friends including my teachers at all levels; Mr. Fosuaba Mensah Banahene, Mr. Jarvis Agyeman-Badu, Dr. Ransford Antwi, Dr. Joe & Mrs. Doris Amoako, Dr. Alberta Yeboah, the Ghanaian, and African communities at Ohio University who facilitated my sojourn at different times and the numerous people not mentioned by name whose influences touched and inspired me deserve tons of appreciation. Thank you and God bless you all. Nana Kwaku Wiafe Brobbey Owusu-Kwarteng Maasehene, Maase-Offinso Athens, OH. ix Table of Contents Acknowledgements........................................................................................................... vii Chapter One ...................................................................................................................... 11 Asante Traditional Leadership and the Process of Educational Change .......................... 11 Background of the study ............................................................................................... 11 Statement of the problem significance.......................................................................... 13 Overview of the literature ............................................................................................. 16 Limitation and delimitation of the study....................................................................... 16 Educational importance. ............................................................................................... 17 Definition of terms........................................................................................................ 18 Chapter Two...................................................................................................................... 19 Literature Review.............................................................................................................. 19 Introduction................................................................................................................... 19 Social fabric of Asante and Ghana................................................................................ 20 Definitions and analysis of some leadership concepts.................................................. 22 Interrogation of issues of power and authority in Asante leadership system. .............. 33 The K-12 school system in Ghana and Asante. ............................................................ 39 The rationale of school reform in Ghana. ..................................................................... 46 Asante traditional leadership and the development of education in Asanteman. ......... 50 Gender, traditional leadership and education................................................................ 63 Stakeholders, policy formation, education and Asante traditional leadership.............. 73 Summary....................................................................................................................... 82 Chapter Three.................................................................................................................... 85 Research Methods............................................................................................................. 85 Some underlying theories and methodological literature review. ................................ 85 A point of view. ............................................................................................................ 95 Access to the site of the research and the participants................................................ 100 Techniques for data collection.................................................................................... 106 Sample selection. ........................................................................................................ 112 Coding of the data......................................................................................................