Trend Analysis of Admission, Enrolment, Completion, and Transition Rates in Primary Education in Ghana

The purpose of this study was to investigate trends in primary education admission, enrolment, completion rates, and transition rates to junior high school in the Bongo District from 2012 to 2021. A descriptive exploratory design was used. This study used secondary data from the Ghana Education Office of the Bongo District in the Upper East region of Ghana to analyse trends in access to and participation in primary education within the district during the period studied. Findings revealed that a significant number of children enrolled in primary education were not in the appropriate grade for their age; the majority were either below or above the age range of 6 to 11 years for primary education in Ghana. Additionally, the percentage of the out-of-school population within the appropriate age range for primary education (NER) increased by 1.1 percentage points, from 15.4% in 2012 to 16.5% in 2021. This study recommends community outreach programmes by the district education office to address sociocultural factors affecting pupils’ participation in primary education. Received: 28 August 2024 / Accepted: 11 November 2024 / Published: 20 November 2024