Assessment of Information Literacy Skills among High School Students in Ghana

Abstract

This study investigates the information literacy skills of Senior High School students in Ghana, concentrating on their capacity to access, assess, and ethically utilise information in the digital age. Employing the cross-sectional correlational design and adopting the quantitative approach by using the Information and Communication Assessment Instrument (ICAI), data were gathered from 800 students across nine schools, evaluating skills across ten areas. Findings show a moderate average information competency score of 178.17 (SD = 24.61) out of 280, with 73 % of students classified as having medium competency, 12.8 % high, and 14.3 % low. Students performed well in locating and retrieving information ( M  = 18.53, SD = 4.71) but showed gaps in using information technologies ( M  = 16.65, SD = 4.76) and understanding ethics and legality ( M  = 16.93, SD = 4.40). These findings align with global trends, showing strengths in basic information retrieval but persistent weaknesses in critical evaluation, synthesis, and technological skills. In Ghana, systemic challenges, including inadequate ICT infrastructure, insufficient teacher training, and limited curriculum integration, worsen these issues. The study recommends stronger collaboration between librarians and teachers, curriculum reforms to incorporate information literacy, better technological infrastructure, and targeted professional development to address these gaps and prepare students for higher education and knowledge-driven careers.