Effective School-Based Management and School Climate in Senior High Schools in Cape Coast Metropolis, Ghana

Purpose: This paper explored the implications of effective school-based management (SBM) practices for school climate in Ghana using Senior High Schools in the Cape Coast Metropolis as the study setting. This study aims to provide empirical insights into how SBM practices can drive school climate. Design/Methodology/Approach: A cross-sectional quantitative survey with a sample size of 442 and a response rate of 411 was used for the study. The data were collected through a questionnaire. A covariance-based structural equation modelling was employed for the analysis. Findings: The findings suggest that SBM practices, such as student engagement and well-being, parental involvement, shared budget decision-making, accountability for school performance, and school-teacher autonomy, have significant implications for school climate, particularly classroom climate and school safety. The study demonstrated that the implications of SBM for school climate are also influenced by the conceptualisation of school climate's multidimensionality. Research Limitation: The study was limited to the Cape Coast Metropolis in Ghana; it may be extended to other jurisdictions. Practical implications: The results in this paper demonstrate that effective SBM practice to elicit a favourable school climate requires strong collaboration among internal and external stakeholders. Social Implication: An important policy implication of the evidence is that, in developing an SBM framework, attention should be paid to student engagement and well-being, parental involvement, shared budget decision-making, and accountability for school performance. Originality/value: This study contextualised SBM by examining five constructs: student engagement and well-being, parental involvement, shared budget decision-making, accountability for school performance, and school-teacher autonomy.