Parental Involvement and Students’ Academic Performance at Junior High Schools in Kumasi Metro, Ghana
There is the belief that parental involvement in their wards’ academic performance is of essence because it has an influence on the education of their children. In line with this, the study which was descriptive in nature sought to assess the effect of parental involvement on students’ academic performance at Junior High Schools in Kumasi Metro, Ghana. In particular, the study investigated parents’ perception about their children’s academic performance, explored the barriers of parental involvement in students’ academic performance, and determined the strategies to increase this involvement. The quantitative research design was used with a set of closed-ended questionnaire in gathering data from 252 parents out of a population of 536. These respondents were sampled through convenient sampling technique, to participate in the study. The data were analysed, using descriptive statistics. The study revealed that barriers to parental involvement in students’ academic performance, among others, included lack of parents’ formal education and poor parent-teacher relationship. However, strategies like using school counselors, and involving parents in home-based activities of the children, among others, were identified as useful in increasing parental involvement in students’ academic performance. It recommended that school heads should endeavor to provide proper orientation for parents as they bring their wards to school. This would ensure that they appreciate their roles in their wards’ education and as such contribute meaningfully to it.
Keywords– Parents, Involvement, Relationship, Academic performance
