Abstract:
The study investigated the causes of poor academic performance of students in the junior
high schools in the Builsa South District. The specific objectives of the study were to find
out the role school environmental factors play in students’ poor academic performance,
ascertain the home conditions responsible for the poor academic performance of students,
identify teacher factors that contribute to the poor academic performance of students and
to identify students characteristics responsible for the poor academic outcome of students
in the Junior High Schools in the Builsa South District. Descriptive survey design was
used for the study. Questionnaire was used for the study. Purposive and simple random
sampling techniques were employed for the study. The study revealed that the
environmental factors contributing to students’ poor academic performance are teachers’
absence from classes, lack of proper supervision of students by school management, and
inadequate material resources for teaching and learning. For the home, the factors are
engaging students in economic activities (trading, farming etc.), poor economic
background of students’ parents, and single parenthood/divorced. The teacher related
factors are poor/inappropriate teaching methodologies, teacher lateness to school on
regular basis, and teacher inability to complete scheme of work (syllabus). Finally, the
students’ characteristics are poor revision management by students, truancy, and lack of
self-motivation. It is recommended that regular sensitization meetings and community
non-formal education classes should be organized within communities in the Builsa
South to inform parents about the value of education to children, the community and the
nation. This would be a way of encouraging them to be active in the Parent Associations
as well as other activities in the schools.
Description:
A Dissertation in the Department of Educational Leadership, Faculty of Education
and Communication Sciences submitted to the School of Graduate Studies, Akenten
Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development, in
partial fulfilment of the requirements for award of the Master of Arts (Educational
Leadership) degree