FACTORS INFLUENCING PARENTS’ CHOICE OF A SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL FOR THEIR CHILDREN

ABSTRACT The purpose of the study was to identify the pertinent factors affecting parents’ choice of a particular senior high school in Ghana. Specifically, the study examines the type of schools parents in the Cape Coast Metropolis choose for their children, and some of the school’s institutional factors that parents look for in deciding the choice of a particular school for their children. The design used for the study was descriptive survey design. A total of 294 parents completed the questionnaire. The lottery method of simple random sampling procedure was used first to select 14 senior high schools, while the census method was used to capture all the parents who stay in Cape Coast and have at least one children in the selected schools. Cronbach’s alpha was used to find out the reliability of the instrument. The reliability coefficient was 0.762. The data for the study were analysed using cross tabulation, frequency, percentage, means, median, standard deviation, skewness, Pearson Product Moment correlation and multiple regression procedures. The study found out that parents preferred single-sex education which is boarding and public. Parents also preferred schools with qualified teachers, excellent academic record, and adequate support services. Schools institutional factors, parents’ socio-economic status and social network factors contribute significantly and positively to parents’ choice of a particular SHS. It is recommended to parents that they should request from the management of the school to ensure that teachers will develop and maintain positive attitude towards students. Also, heads of the various schools should be attentive to the various institutional factors and create schools that address the needs of the parents in their communities if they are to attract and retain students.