Proper and effective management of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in elderly patients represents an important yet under-researched therapeutic target. Therefore, the main purpose of our research was to employ age stratification to analyse sleep quality and sleep fragmentation, the daily sleepiness, OSA severity and CPAP compliance in elderly. Conforming to the inclusion criteria of minimum 70 years of age at the time of polysomnography and CPAP titration night a total number of 162 elderly patients was included, median age 73,00±4 (MED±IQR). The comparison group consisted of 448 adult subjects under the age of 70 years old, median age 54,00±14,00 (MED±IQR). Sleep fragmentation in elderly was promoted to suboptimal CPAP adherence, as the probability of CPAP use ≥ 4 hours per day was less than 20%. Overall CPAP compliance hours in the elderly group achieved 3,991±3,804 hours/day with bigger variation in between the subjects versus 5,547±3,465 hours/day for the controls, (MED±IQR, p<0,001). Despite naturally occurring sleep fragmentation worsened by OSA, less than 30% of elderly patients would score ≥ 10 points on Epworth sleepiness scale. The study emphasizes acute need for standardized age-specific diagnostic tools to address different perception of daily drowsiness and sleepiness by older people. Further, it underlines the importance of early recognition of possible comorbid OSA and insomnia and suggest paying more attention to “non-obese phenotype” in the subgroup of elderly patients with suspected OSA. Elderly patients might also need development of more flexible CPAP compliance criteria; however, those must be standardized and objective.

The Free Senior High School (FSHS) policy implementation in Ghana has garnered significant attention in academic research, with various studies delving into its advantages and implementation obstacles. Nevertheless, there has been a rise in school dropout rates among secondary school students amidst the programme implementation. There is therefore the need for a more localized scientific inquiry into the socio-economic factors contributing to school dropout among Senior High School (SHS) students in the Abofour community. The study employed a qualitative approach, using the case study design to conduct interviews with 22 students who had dropped out of SHS, to explore their experiences and identify key socio-economic factors influencing their decisions to leave school. Thematic data analysis revealed six main themes, namely, lack of parental support, peer influence, early marriage and pregnancy, economic conditions, and unsupportive school environment, as among the causative factors. The findings suggest that while the Free SHS policy has removed some direct financial barriers, other social, economic, and institutional factors continue to spur up dropout rates. The study concludes that addressing these underlying issues requires a multi-faceted approach that includes strengthening family support systems, improving school environments, and providing targeted interventions for at-risk students. In this regard, policymakers and other educational stakeholders are required to provide targeted supports to enhance student retention and reduce dropout rates in the Abofour community.

Smartphone use among adolescents has surged globally, reshaping communication and learning patterns, especially in developing countries. However, the implications of such digital habits on students in rural or under-resourced areas remain underexplored. This study aims to examine the patterns of smartphone usage and its effects on learning among high school students in Tarutung, a developing region of North Sumatra, Indonesia. Utilizing a quantitative descriptive approach, data were collected from 358 students using structured questionnaires. The results show that 96.05% of students own personal smartphones regardless of socioeconomic background, with an average daily usage of 4 hours and 45 minutes. While 91.81% believe smartphones support their learning, 25.99% report declining academic performance. Alarmingly, 20.62% of students admitted involvement in cyberbullying activities, highlighting a critical digital risk impacting the school environment and student well-being. The study concludes that although smartphones offer educational benefits, their misuse can lead to negative academic, social, and psychological outcomes. This study recommends digital literacy curricula and structured cooperation between parents and educators to prevent risks while optimizing educational opportunities in smartphone use.

This study investigated the pedagogical implications of out-of-field teaching in Social Studies. The Out-of-field Social Studies teachers could encounter several challenges in their preparation and the implementation of the integrated Social Studies curriculum. This study sought the lived experiences of the out-of-field teachers concerning the causes of out-of-field teaching in social studies, problems encountered by the out-of-field teachers and the mechanisms they employ to cope with the teaching of Social Studies. The study chose the qualitative phenomenological research design. Data were collected from all the 17 out-of-field Social Studies teachers through in-depth structured interview. Data were transcribed and analysed, through the inductive thematic analysis approach, unveiling of themes and concepts from the narratives of the research participants. The study revealed that out-of-field teaching in Social Studies occurs as a result of teacher shortage in integrated social studies programme. It is also caused by the perception that any teacher could teach Social Studies irrespective of the teachers’ qualification. Out-of-field teacher encounter problems such as inadequate content and pedagogical knowledge, lack of classroom managerial techniques and inability to deliver lessons through the integrated approach. Engaging in professional development courses, peer coaching, in-service training and workshops were some of the mechanisms employed by out-of-field teachers to cope with the teaching of Social Studies. The pedagogical implications of this phenomenon are that when teaching the Social Studies, the out-of-field teachers place more emphasis on aspects of the Social Studies curriculum where they have much knowledge and skip or put less emphasis on other aspects they lack in-depth knowledge, thus, the integrated approach to teaching Social Studies is not adopted effectively by out-of-field teachers. This waters down the content of Social Studies at the Senior High School level. Addressing the problem of out-of-field teaching in Social Studies requires training and recruiting more teachers who have background training and experience in the integrated approach to the teaching of Social Studies.

The role and contribution of women in modern organisations have been phenomenal. However, societal norms and other patriarchal values continue to stifle the progress of women leaders. The study's overall purpose was to examine the leadership styles of female leaders in managing senior high schools in the Central Region of Ghana. The study adopted non-numerical data and used a purely qualitative research approach. A phenomenological design supported the study framework, and the required data was collected through interviews. The target population for the study were female headmistresses and assistant headmistresses in the various Senior High Schools in the Metropolis. The study involved all six female headmistresses and eight assistant headmistresses in the Metropolis. The participants were sampled using the census to meet the study objectives. The data were analysed thematically. The study revealed that married couples use the participatory leadership style, but those who are single use the assertive style. The study also concluded that women leaders who are single and are farther from 60 years old are more likely to have problems in the discharge of their duties as leaders since men, per societal influence, will always try to resist the control of women leaders. The Ghana education service should package special incentives for women who aspire to achieve the utmost leadership role of becoming heads of senior high schools. It will motivate the young women generation. It is also recommended that women in leadership positions in the Ghana Education Service are advised to learn by updating their skills and competencies to grow in confidence and share ideas with colleagues in the same field to adopt and adapt leadership styles that have worked in other institutions to handle institutional challenges.

Ghana's Free Senior High School (SHS) policy has been touted as one of the most significant educational reforms in recent years, fueling the nation's achievement of Goal 4 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While many studies have been conducted on the policy’s impact on beneficiaries, little is known about its impact on tertiary institutions. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the socioeconomic effects of the Free SHS policy on tertiary institutions in Ghana's Western Region. We also provide suggestions on how to improve the policy's efficacy and lessen any obstacles to its incorporation into higher education. Methodologically, 103 employees of Takoradi Technical University and the University of Mines and Technology were sampled using a purposive sampling technique. According to the report, despite the lack of adequate facilities such as lecture halls, dorms, and residence halls on campus, the Free SHS policy has increased enrollment at the postsecondary level. This has resulted in a high student-to-lecturer ratio, increased utility bills, a high cost of living on campus, and a rise in the opening of businesses on campus. To address some of these socioeconomic impacts, respondents proposed that the government should improve infrastructure in the country's higher institutions, hire more lecturers, boost incentives for lecturers, and foster partnerships with private institutions to support infrastructure development.

The purpose of this study was to examine challenges facing the Church in dealing with Moral Issues and the way forward in Ghana. Qualitatively, the study sought to examine the Church's challenges in coping with Moral Issues and the way forward in Ghana. The study adopted a case study research design. The population of the study comprised leaders of Calvary Baptist Church – Adabraka and Shiashe. These include the Vice President of the Ghana Baptist Convention and departmental heads at the Ghana Baptist Convention headquarters. Others included the Senior Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church – Adabraka with its satellite mission at Shiashe as well as a cross-section of pastors of these churches; the church administrator; the past and present directors of Baptist Relief and Development Agency (BREDA). The purposive sampling technique was specifically used to locate respondents for the study. The churches and participants were chosen because of their efforts in dealing with the causes of immorality confronting Ghanaian society. The main tool for data collection was a semi-structured interview guide. The data gathered was organised and analysed manually using emerging themes. The study revealed that the challenges which the Baptist Church encounters in its effort to deal with moral issues are the politicisation of statements made by the clergy, and inadequate trained personnel who are willing and ready to champion the agenda of the church in that respect. Financial difficulties were also mentioned. In this regard, specific reference was made to the effort made by the Ghana Baptist Convention to free the Trokosi girls. It was indicated that it takes a lot of financial resources to train and settle the freed girls. Regarding the way forward as far as these challenges were concerned, it was suggested that the church ought to speak more and do what it is mandated by Christ to do to bring about transformation. It is recommended that Churches should seriously intensify education on what constitutes human rights and freedom so that there would be a clear understanding of the concept that enables people to think through and adopt the good aspects to enhance their circumstances. Human rights defenders should exercise restraints when it comes to practices which are alien to Ghanaian values, laws and religious faith.

This study aimed to evaluate the Social Studies Curriculum for Senior High Schools in Ghana to determine whether the subject has attained its goal(s) or not, using Stake’s Countenance Evaluation Model. The study took place in the Asante Akim North District. The population for study were all Social Studies teachers and students in the district. The multi-stage sampling technique was adopted for the study and the sample size was 120, made up of 100 students and 20 teachers. The concurrent mixed method approach was adopted. The main instruments used for collecting data were questionnaires, interviews (focus group and unstructured interview), observation and documentary analysis. Quantitative data were tabulated, organised, analysed and interpreted to draw sound conclusions and generalisations. The data were presented in the form of tables and percentages. Words were used to interpret the tables and percentages for easy understanding. The qualitative data responses were described and explained in the form of themes. Sometimes responses were quoted verbatim to authenticate claims made. The study looked at the congruence between what was intended to occur and what was observed before and during the implementation of the curriculum in the Asante Akim North District. On the transactions, it was revealed that teachers in the district communicate the problem the topic seeks to address and the specific objectives to the learners during instruction. Also, teachers varied their teaching methods, techniques and strategies. However, teachers failed to take students out on field trips. Also, they failed to use video documentaries to deliver their lessons inhibiting students’ creativity as they are denied the opportunity to explore and get first-hand information to build up knowledge and develop the needed attitudes and values. From the findings, it is therefore recommended that the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment should increase the time allotted to the teaching of Social Studies at the SHS level from 3-periods of 40 minutes a week to 5-periods of 40 minutes a week to give teachers and learners ample time to discuss, debate, digest and solve problems during instructional hours to enable the goal of the subject attained.

The growing unconcern and poor attitude of some Ghanaians towards environmental protection and sanitation practices has become very endemic in Ghanaian Societies. Littering especially is considered a major environmental problem within the setting of this study. This study employed the mixed-method approach in integrating qualitative and quantitative research data. The study adopted a convergent parallel research design. The population for this study consisted of all teaching staff and students of Sefwi Wiawso Senior High Technical School and St. Joseph Catholic Senior High School in Sefwi Wiawso municipality in the Western North Region of Ghana. Purposive, simple random, and convenient sampling techniques were used to select the schools, teachers and students for the study. A sample size of one hundred and ninety-eight (198) consisting of one hundred eighty-eight (188) students and ten (10) teachers were selected for the study. The two main instruments used for data collection were questionnaires and interview guides. The quantitative data obtained from the questionnaire were coded with numerical values and keyed into the data view of the SPSS version 23. The qualitative data was analysed through content analysis and was further transcribed into themes for analysis with a side-by-side comparison with the quantitative data. The qualitative data gathered and presented, were organised and analysed manually using emerging themes. The study revealed that littering is currently caused by irresponsible behaviour among some staff and students coupled with other factors such as lazy attitudes among people, inadequate waste bins on campus, and more seriously, less sensitization of people on littering in the various senior high schools. The study also indicated that provisions of adequate waste bins at vantage points in the various campuses, awarding prizes to individual students and groups with good waste management practices on campus, implementing rules and regulations on littering, as well as educating, and sensitizing students and staff on littering on campuses formed the possibilities on how schools can shape up staff and student’s attitudes towards healthy environment by avoid littering. It is recommended that Students with good waste management practices should be rewarded to encourage others in Senior High Schools. It is also recommended that sustainable waste management practices (collection, transportation, and treatment) should be employed in all the Senior High Schools across the country.