Title:
School Improvement and Support Officers as Curriculum Leaders in Cape Coast North Municipality - Ghana: Roles, Challenges, and the Way Forward

Authors:
Jacob Aaworb-nang Maabobr Kor, George Kojo Ennin, Ghana

Abstract:

This study investigated the roles, challenges, and impacts of School Improvement and Support Officers (SISOs) as curriculum leaders in public basic schools within the Cape Coast North Municipality of Ghana. Guided by distributed and instructional leadership theories, the study employed a convergent mixed-methods design integrating quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews. Data was collected from 261 teachers and headteachers using structured questionnaires and in-depth interviews, and analysed through descriptive statistics, correlation, regression analyses, and thematic analysis. Findings revealed that curriculum leadership was strongly associated with teacher professionalism (r = .783, p < .001), learning outcomes (r = .817, p < .001), and school improvement (r = .816, p < .001). Regression analysis demonstrated that teaching practices, learning outcomes, and school improvement together accounted for 74.6% of the variance in curriculum leadership perceptions (R² = .746). Despite these positive associations, SISOs faced persistent logistical constraints, limited professional development opportunities, and fragmented collaboration with school leadership teams. The results confirm the critical role of SISOs in supporting instructional quality while highlighting the systemic barriers constraining their effectiveness. The study recommends sustained investment in targeted training, improved logistical support, and stronger collaborative frameworks to enable SISOs to fulfil their mandate as curriculum leaders. The findings provide practical implications for policymakers, educational managers, and teacher development stakeholders committed to strengthening curriculum leadership in decentralised education systems.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.51505/IJEBMR.2026.1009