Miss Akosua Afriyie Boakye, an MPhil candidate in Educational Planning and Administration, is advocating for the development of holistic implementation strategies to ensure the effective and quality enforcement of institutional policies at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).

Her research examined the influence of the KNUST Gender Policy on the organizational structure and leadership practices at the university, revealing that while the policy emphasizes gender equity, its impact on female leadership representation remains limited.

Miss. Boakye’s study employed an exploratory qualitative research design, using semi-structured interviews with administrators, faculty members, and department heads, alongside document analysis.

 Her findings align with broader research on gender policy implementation, highlighting that personal beliefs and values play a crucial role in shaping leadership perceptions and practices at KNUST.

 Rather than institutional regulations driving inclusivity, individuals’ personal convictions about gender equity influenced their leadership approaches.

 Furthermore, while the policy advocates for gender balance, practical strategies like affirmative action and quotas have received mixed reactions, indicating the need for a review and enhanced sensitization.

Recognizing these gaps, Ms. Boakye advocates for the urgent establishment of a gender mainstreaming unit to monitor and evaluate the policy’s implementation.

"The gender mainstreaming unit should be set up as soon as possible. It will serve as the body responsible for evaluating whether the policy is functioning as intended and ensuring that its provisions are enforced," she emphasized.

Her findings suggest that without a dedicated office ensuring accountability, the policy’s objectives may remain largely symbolic rather than transformative.

Dr. Paul Kwadwo Addo, the thesis supervisor, supports the call for a comprehensive sensitization effort to drive the policy’s effective implementation.

 "For the policies we develop, once they are in place, there is a need to implement them vigorously to maximize their benefits, especially the gender policy," he affirmed.

He further stressed the need for a structured implementation strategy that actively engages various university units, ensuring the policy translates into tangible changes in leadership representation and decision-making processes.