Parental Involvement in Pupil's Education and Its Impact on Academic Performance of Public Junior High School Pupils: The Case of Gomoa East District in the Central Region of Ghana

ABSTRACT 

The study investigated parental involvement in pupils’ education and its impact on academic performance of public Junior High School pupils in the Gomoa East District in the Central Region of Ghana. Explanatory sequential mixed methods was used for the study. Two hundred and one pupils were selected using multi-stage sampling technique (purposive, proportional and simple random). Questionnaires and interview guide were used to collect data for the study. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. The Findings for the study were that: parents did not assist their children with homework, lack of home discussions on school matters, inadequate parental guidance and assistance, insufficient learning materials at home, less encouragement from parents and lack of parental assistance to children at home were the nature of home influences prevalent in the Gomoa East District.  Also, there was a positive correlation between parental Socioeconomic Status (SES) and the nature of influences wielded on their children’s education. Furthermore, parental involvement to a large extent impacted on pupils’ academic performance. Again, challenges that confront parental involvement on the academic performance of JHS pupils included: parents’ level of income; parents’ inability to manage their anger; lack of leadership skills. It was concluded that nature of home influences prevalent in the Gomoa East District can negatively influence children’s academic performance. Also, parental involvement to a great level impact on pupils’ academic performance. More so, barriers to parental involvement in pupils’ academic performance included: parents’ level of income; parents’ inability to manage their anger; lack of leadership skills.  It was recommended that parents should be educated by headteachers on the need to create a conducive home environment for their children towards educational attainment. Again, the school management committee (SMC), Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and school management should organize training programmes for parents on the need to involve themselves in school activities. Headteachers together with the teachers and school guidance and counselling coordinators should find strategies to assist parents overcome challenges that confront them.