“(Making Senior High Education Free in Ghana - Getting the Approach Right: An Empowerment Analysis of Ghana’s Free Senior High School Policy Based on
Participating Students’ Experiences in Accra, Ghana)”?
This is an inquiry about participation in a research project where the main purpose is to have an empowerment analysis of the Free Senior High School Policy of Ghana. In this letter we will give you information about the purpose of the project and what your participation will involve.
Purpose of the project
My name is Jac Hage Gyimah. I am a student pursuing Master of Philosophy in Global Development-theory and practice at the University of Bergen, Norway. In fulfilment of the requirements to earn this degree, I am undertaking a research project on the Free Senior High School Policy of Ghana. The proposed study intends to explore how the initial approach of Ghana’s free SHS has empowered participating students, given its challenges.
Research Objectives
Central Objective – To explore how the initial roll-out of Ghana’s free SHS policy has empowered participating students.
Sub-Objectives
• To identify and map the challenges experienced by participating students.
• To explore strategies and resources used by participating students to meet the challenges
• To explore how participating students, benefit (knowledge, skills, competences, etc.) from free SHS
Who is responsible for the research project?
University of Bergen is the institution responsible for the project.
Why are you being asked to participate?
The study will employ purposive and snowball sampling approach in the selection of my qualitative research participants. The main rationale for the random sampling is to target information rich participants for the study.
What does participation involve for you?
I will interview at least 3 people individually for the study of which you will be one of them.
Each interview will last for approximately 1 hour. It will be an in- depth interview consisting of casual conversations. You are not required to answer the questions if they make you feel uncomfortable. At any time, you may notify the researcher that you would like to stop the interview and your participation in the study and there is no penalty in discontinuing participation. Aside this research contributing to existing research and policy formulation by policy makers, it will also aid me in the writing and completion of my master thesis in order to acquire a master’s degree.
Participation is voluntary
Participation in the project is voluntary. If you chose to participate, you can withdraw your consent at any time without giving a reason. All information about you will then be made anonymous. There will be no negative consequences for you if you chose not to participate or later decide to withdraw.
Your personal privacy – how we will store and use your personal data
We will only use your personal data for the purpose(s) specified in this information letter. We will process your personal data confidentially and in accordance with data protection legislation (the General Data Protection Regulation and Personal Data Act).
• The researcher will keep your information confidential. The interview audio recordings will have numbers and carry no names. This consent forms which you have to sign will have no connection with the tapes. If you decide to participate, you may withdraw from the study at any time without any penalty. If you withdraw from the study before data
collection is complete, your data would be returned to you or destroyed. Your data would also be destroyed upon your request if you withdraw from the study after the data collection is completed.
What will happen to your personal data at the end of the research project?
The project is scheduled to end in June 2021 and your data will be destroyed after the analysis is made and the thesis completed.
Your rights
So long as you can be identified in the collected data, you have the right to:
- access the personal data that is being processed about you - request that your personal data is deleted
- request that incorrect personal data about you is corrected/rectified - receive a copy of your personal data (data portability), and
- send a complaint to the Data Protection Officer or The Norwegian Data Protection Authority regarding the processing of your personal data
What gives us the right to process your personal data?
We will process your personal data based on your consent.
Based on an agreement with University of Bergen, NSD – The Norwegian Centre for Research Data AS has assessed that the processing of personal data in this project is in accordance with data protection legislation.
Where can I find out more?
If you have questions about the project, or want to exercise your rights, contact:
• University of Bergen via Jac Hage Gyimah ([email protected]/
[email protected]) and Marguerite Daniel ([email protected]).
• NSD – The Norwegian Centre for Research Data AS, by email:
([email protected]) or by telephone: +47 55 58 21 17.
Yours sincerely,
Jac Hage Gyimah ([email protected]/ [email protected]) Researcher
Marguerite Daniel ([email protected]) Supervisor
--- Consent form
I have received and understood information about the project “(Making Senior High Education Free in Ghana - Getting the Approach Right: An Empowerment Analysis of Ghana’s Free Senior High School Policy Based on Participating Students’ Experiences in Accra, Ghana)”
and have been given the opportunity to ask questions. I give consent:
to participate in an interview
I give consent for my personal data to be processed until the end date of the project, approx.
June 2021
--- (Signed by participant, date)