Vol. 7, Issue 2, Part G (2025)

This study utilised a quantitative design. The study aimed to assess the effect of teacher absenteeism on junior high school students’ academic performance in English and mathematics language. The study comprised 40 teachers and 683 students from 10 public schools in Sene East and West Districts in the Bono East Region, Ghana. The study utilised a simple random sampling method to select ten (10) Ghana Accountability for Learning Outcomes Project (GALOP) schools, 683 students and 40 English and mathematics teachers from the chosen schools. The GALOP aims to enhance student-learning results in schools by eliminating factors that harm learning outcome of students. An open-ended questionnaire, Logbooks, and students' academic report cards of mathematics and English were used to collect the data. Data on teacher absenteeism were collected using logbooks and analysis with archived secondary data on student’s academic performance in mathematics and English. The data indicated a correlation between the average student score and the logarithm of teacher absenteeism. Student average scores fall when teacher absenteeism increases in logarithmic terms, whereas teacher absenteeism is lower when student average scores rise. The study found that most teachers were absent due to involvement in distance learning, weekend or sandwich programs at a university or college, a lack of motivation on the job, and economic problems. The study revealed that stiffer measures such as salary deduction, salary embargo, suspension, and dismissal from service were available to control teacher absenteeism, but the majority of the headteachers used caution notices to monitor teacher absenteeism in the Sene East and West districts. Also, the study found that providing incentives to teachers posted to rural areas, granting allowances to offset economic challenges, postings to areas near teachers and deduction of the number of days absent from salaries are some of the possible ways to decreases teacher absenteeism in Sene East and West districts. The study recommends that the Sene East and West Districts Education Directorate should provide incentives to more devoted teachers posted to the districts. This will help to reduce teachers’ economic problems and motivate them on their job. The government of Ghana should grant study leave to teachers pursuing second degrees. This will reduce the number of teachers partaking in distance learning, weekend or sandwich programs to be enrolled in the regular university programs to prevent teacher absenteeism.