John Forkuor - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by John Forkuor

Research paper thumbnail of The street begging economy: investigating the economic strategies of street beggars in Ghana

International journal of sociology and social policy, Jun 20, 2024

Research paper thumbnail of Enhancing institutional policies and frameworks for E-learning: A case study of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana

Research paper thumbnail of Sustainable peace building education: strategies used by Ghana’s National Peace Council

Journal of Peace Education

Research paper thumbnail of Exploring the interconnectedness between social work education and social work practice: perceptions of BA social work graduates from one of Ghana’s public universities

Social Work Education, Jan 6, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of Caring for People with Intellectual Disability: Experiences

Research paper thumbnail of Inefficient allocation of paratransit service terminals and routes in Ghana: The role of driver unions and paratransit operators

Journal of Transport Geography

Research paper thumbnail of Cultural beliefs versus professional health training: implications for healthcare delivery to persons living with intellectual disabilities in Ghana

Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability

Research paper thumbnail of Unpacking the gendered interactions and relationship among students in male-dominated programs: perspectives of female students in mechanical engineering in Ghana

Research paper thumbnail of Improving Access to Healthcare for Persons Living with Intellectual Disabilities: A Practical Guide for Policy Makers, Health Workers and Social Workers

Across the globe, promoting the wellbeing of vulnerable populations is a key mandate of both gove... more Across the globe, promoting the wellbeing of vulnerable populations is a key mandate of both governments and academics. Promoting the wellbeing of persons with intellectual disabilities is arguably one of the key responsibilities of social work academics in Ghana. In fulfilling this mandate, we have conducted a number of studies into the care and health needs of Persons Living with Intellectual Disabilities (PwIDs). We have prepared this policy brief as a way of informing policy and practice and making our research relevant to practitioners and policy makers in Ghana. Our aim is to, through this brief, bridge the divide between PwIDs and healthcare professionals.

Research paper thumbnail of Exploring Stakeholder Perceptions of Quality Early Childhood Education in Private Day Care Centers in Ghana: A Qualitative approach

In Ghana, despite increasing enrolment, majority of children do not have access to quality early ... more In Ghana, despite increasing enrolment, majority of children do not have access to quality early childhood education. The lack of a context specific and culturally relevant definition of quality in early childhood education is one of the challenges stakeholders face in promoting quality standards in Ghana. In this paper, we use data collected through qualitative semi-structured interviews to explore stakeholder definition of quality in early childhood education, the implications of quality, and the key characteristics emphasized in recruiting teachers into quality early childhood education. For the participants, quality early childhood education embodies three key components: safety, nutrition, and teaching. Cognitive development, social skills and leadership abilities were emphasized as some of the benefits of quality early childhood education for children. Regarding the recruitment of teachers, participants emphasized tertiary education rather than attitudinal and behavioral quali...

Research paper thumbnail of Regulation of street foods in Kumasi: stakeholder practices and perceptions

A Thesis Submitted to the Department of Sociology and Social Work, Kwame Nkrumah University of Sc... more A Thesis Submitted to the Department of Sociology and Social Work, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology, 2015

Research paper thumbnail of Bride Price and the State of Marriage in North-West Ghana

International Journal of Social Science Studies, 2018

This paper sought to examine the role of bride price on the state of marriage among the Dagara of... more This paper sought to examine the role of bride price on the state of marriage among the Dagara of North-West Ghana. In the face of increasing scarcity of the items used in marriage in the study area, getting bride price has become a daunting task for many young men preparing to marry or already in marriage with consequences on the legitimacy and stability of families. Through purposive sampling, 5 FGDs and 9 personal interviews were conducted to obtain experiential information on bride price and state of marriage. The study revealed that the role of families, payback norms and incorporation (as part of bride price payment) are clear structures that have positive consequences for the stability of marriage; weakening potentially destabilising factors such as spousal abuse and the extra-marital sexual activities of men. Interestingly, the type and amount of items used for bride price have so much social and cultural significance that formal education and modernity has so far failed to ...

Research paper thumbnail of Students’ Perception of Cheating and the Best Time to Cheat During Examinations

Research paper thumbnail of Food Vending Among Men in Kumasi: Socio-Cultural Advantages, Constraints, and Coping Strategies

International Journal of Social Science Studies, 2016

Research paper thumbnail of From block placement to blended model: the way forward for social work practicum in Ghana

Research paper thumbnail of Crimes of accommodation: a criminological grounding for road traffic violations among minibus drivers in Africa

Research paper thumbnail of Reasons, practices and procedures that bring mothers to the streets as street beggars: Aqualitative study of mothers with twin children begging on the streets of Ghana

Journal of Social Development in Africa, 2020

The literature on street begging focuses on other categories of street beggars without paying muc... more The literature on street begging focuses on other categories of street beggars without paying much attention to mothers who beg on the street with their twin children. The gendered and cultural reasons for which they beg, and the activities and processes they go through before they end up on the streets are unclear. With the aid of purposive and snowball sampling, this qualitative study investigated the reasons, practices and procedures which inform street begging among mothers with their twin children in Ghana. The study reveals that the health challenges of the twin children as well as that of their mothers are the main reasons for begging on the street. The study further reveals that the activities and processes that bring women to the streets are both gendered and culturally embedded. The study discusses the complexities between cultural rights and human rights, and makes recommendations to promote the wellbeing of these mothers and their twin children who beg on the streets

Research paper thumbnail of The dilemma of vulnerable groups during lockdown: implications for social work education and practice in Ghana

The COVID-19 pandemic has created socio-economic challenges for countries globally and has touche... more The COVID-19 pandemic has created socio-economic challenges for countries globally and has touched lives in some of the remotest areas of the world. While other countries have been proactive in addressing this challenge, I fear that Ghana, and to an extent most of sub-Saharan Africa, have failed to adequately prepare and anticipate these challenges. This reflective essay discusses the paradoxes that the pandemic and the measures used to curb it creates for two vulnerable groups (informal economy workers and women and children in abusive relationships). I introduce the essay with a reflective account of the relevance and practicality of social work education and practice in Ghana in light of the on-going pandemic. Subsequently, I focus on two vulnerable groups (informal economy workers and women and children in abusive relationships). I present a reflective account of how the challenges that emerged from this pandemic creates new opportunities for my work as a social work educator an...

Research paper thumbnail of Financial burden impact quality of life among Filarial Pathology Patients

Research paper thumbnail of Innovative Approaches to Cheating: An Exploration of Examination Cheating Techniques among Tertiary Students

Education Research International, 2021

The prevalence and surge in academic cheating indicate that students are finding innovative techn... more The prevalence and surge in academic cheating indicate that students are finding innovative techniques to cheat during examinations. This problem has left invigilators and academic stakeholders wondering how students manage to cheat during exams. With a qualitative approach, this study sought to explore the techniques used by students during examinations. Data were gathered from students of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. The findings revealed that the innovative techniques used by students were sitting arrangements, use of body parts, entry of foreign materials, and the use of technology. Students devised these techniques due to their perception of cheating and also poor institutional mechanism, which provided a favourable ground for cheating. We, therefore, argue that, to curtail academic cheating, not only should educational authorities and academic stakeholders improve institutional mechanism to prevent cheating, as it is the case, but also, a conscious effor...

Research paper thumbnail of The street begging economy: investigating the economic strategies of street beggars in Ghana

International journal of sociology and social policy, Jun 20, 2024

Research paper thumbnail of Enhancing institutional policies and frameworks for E-learning: A case study of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana

Research paper thumbnail of Sustainable peace building education: strategies used by Ghana’s National Peace Council

Journal of Peace Education

Research paper thumbnail of Exploring the interconnectedness between social work education and social work practice: perceptions of BA social work graduates from one of Ghana’s public universities

Social Work Education, Jan 6, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of Caring for People with Intellectual Disability: Experiences

Research paper thumbnail of Inefficient allocation of paratransit service terminals and routes in Ghana: The role of driver unions and paratransit operators

Journal of Transport Geography

Research paper thumbnail of Cultural beliefs versus professional health training: implications for healthcare delivery to persons living with intellectual disabilities in Ghana

Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability

Research paper thumbnail of Unpacking the gendered interactions and relationship among students in male-dominated programs: perspectives of female students in mechanical engineering in Ghana

Research paper thumbnail of Improving Access to Healthcare for Persons Living with Intellectual Disabilities: A Practical Guide for Policy Makers, Health Workers and Social Workers

Across the globe, promoting the wellbeing of vulnerable populations is a key mandate of both gove... more Across the globe, promoting the wellbeing of vulnerable populations is a key mandate of both governments and academics. Promoting the wellbeing of persons with intellectual disabilities is arguably one of the key responsibilities of social work academics in Ghana. In fulfilling this mandate, we have conducted a number of studies into the care and health needs of Persons Living with Intellectual Disabilities (PwIDs). We have prepared this policy brief as a way of informing policy and practice and making our research relevant to practitioners and policy makers in Ghana. Our aim is to, through this brief, bridge the divide between PwIDs and healthcare professionals.

Research paper thumbnail of Exploring Stakeholder Perceptions of Quality Early Childhood Education in Private Day Care Centers in Ghana: A Qualitative approach

In Ghana, despite increasing enrolment, majority of children do not have access to quality early ... more In Ghana, despite increasing enrolment, majority of children do not have access to quality early childhood education. The lack of a context specific and culturally relevant definition of quality in early childhood education is one of the challenges stakeholders face in promoting quality standards in Ghana. In this paper, we use data collected through qualitative semi-structured interviews to explore stakeholder definition of quality in early childhood education, the implications of quality, and the key characteristics emphasized in recruiting teachers into quality early childhood education. For the participants, quality early childhood education embodies three key components: safety, nutrition, and teaching. Cognitive development, social skills and leadership abilities were emphasized as some of the benefits of quality early childhood education for children. Regarding the recruitment of teachers, participants emphasized tertiary education rather than attitudinal and behavioral quali...

Research paper thumbnail of Regulation of street foods in Kumasi: stakeholder practices and perceptions

A Thesis Submitted to the Department of Sociology and Social Work, Kwame Nkrumah University of Sc... more A Thesis Submitted to the Department of Sociology and Social Work, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology, 2015

Research paper thumbnail of Bride Price and the State of Marriage in North-West Ghana

International Journal of Social Science Studies, 2018

This paper sought to examine the role of bride price on the state of marriage among the Dagara of... more This paper sought to examine the role of bride price on the state of marriage among the Dagara of North-West Ghana. In the face of increasing scarcity of the items used in marriage in the study area, getting bride price has become a daunting task for many young men preparing to marry or already in marriage with consequences on the legitimacy and stability of families. Through purposive sampling, 5 FGDs and 9 personal interviews were conducted to obtain experiential information on bride price and state of marriage. The study revealed that the role of families, payback norms and incorporation (as part of bride price payment) are clear structures that have positive consequences for the stability of marriage; weakening potentially destabilising factors such as spousal abuse and the extra-marital sexual activities of men. Interestingly, the type and amount of items used for bride price have so much social and cultural significance that formal education and modernity has so far failed to ...

Research paper thumbnail of Students’ Perception of Cheating and the Best Time to Cheat During Examinations

Research paper thumbnail of Food Vending Among Men in Kumasi: Socio-Cultural Advantages, Constraints, and Coping Strategies

International Journal of Social Science Studies, 2016

Research paper thumbnail of From block placement to blended model: the way forward for social work practicum in Ghana

Research paper thumbnail of Crimes of accommodation: a criminological grounding for road traffic violations among minibus drivers in Africa

Research paper thumbnail of Reasons, practices and procedures that bring mothers to the streets as street beggars: Aqualitative study of mothers with twin children begging on the streets of Ghana

Journal of Social Development in Africa, 2020

The literature on street begging focuses on other categories of street beggars without paying muc... more The literature on street begging focuses on other categories of street beggars without paying much attention to mothers who beg on the street with their twin children. The gendered and cultural reasons for which they beg, and the activities and processes they go through before they end up on the streets are unclear. With the aid of purposive and snowball sampling, this qualitative study investigated the reasons, practices and procedures which inform street begging among mothers with their twin children in Ghana. The study reveals that the health challenges of the twin children as well as that of their mothers are the main reasons for begging on the street. The study further reveals that the activities and processes that bring women to the streets are both gendered and culturally embedded. The study discusses the complexities between cultural rights and human rights, and makes recommendations to promote the wellbeing of these mothers and their twin children who beg on the streets

Research paper thumbnail of The dilemma of vulnerable groups during lockdown: implications for social work education and practice in Ghana

The COVID-19 pandemic has created socio-economic challenges for countries globally and has touche... more The COVID-19 pandemic has created socio-economic challenges for countries globally and has touched lives in some of the remotest areas of the world. While other countries have been proactive in addressing this challenge, I fear that Ghana, and to an extent most of sub-Saharan Africa, have failed to adequately prepare and anticipate these challenges. This reflective essay discusses the paradoxes that the pandemic and the measures used to curb it creates for two vulnerable groups (informal economy workers and women and children in abusive relationships). I introduce the essay with a reflective account of the relevance and practicality of social work education and practice in Ghana in light of the on-going pandemic. Subsequently, I focus on two vulnerable groups (informal economy workers and women and children in abusive relationships). I present a reflective account of how the challenges that emerged from this pandemic creates new opportunities for my work as a social work educator an...

Research paper thumbnail of Financial burden impact quality of life among Filarial Pathology Patients

Research paper thumbnail of Innovative Approaches to Cheating: An Exploration of Examination Cheating Techniques among Tertiary Students

Education Research International, 2021

The prevalence and surge in academic cheating indicate that students are finding innovative techn... more The prevalence and surge in academic cheating indicate that students are finding innovative techniques to cheat during examinations. This problem has left invigilators and academic stakeholders wondering how students manage to cheat during exams. With a qualitative approach, this study sought to explore the techniques used by students during examinations. Data were gathered from students of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. The findings revealed that the innovative techniques used by students were sitting arrangements, use of body parts, entry of foreign materials, and the use of technology. Students devised these techniques due to their perception of cheating and also poor institutional mechanism, which provided a favourable ground for cheating. We, therefore, argue that, to curtail academic cheating, not only should educational authorities and academic stakeholders improve institutional mechanism to prevent cheating, as it is the case, but also, a conscious effor...