Abstract:
The study investigated parental attitude towards public basic school in Sefwi Wiawso
Municipality. It aimed at looking for the reasons why parents who have their children in
the public basic schools ignore their responsibilities in educating their children. Mixed
method was used in the study. Purposive sampling was used to select the respondents
while simple random sampling method was used to select the schools which were used
for the study. Questionnaire and interview guide were instruments used to gather data in
this study. Simple frequency counts and percentages were used to analyze the quantitative
data while the qualitative data was analyzed thematically. Parental involvement in the
education of children in the public basic schools in Sefwi Wiawso Municipality was low.
Low academic performance of the public basic schools, negative attitude of teachers
towards work and misappropriation of funds by school authorities were the key school
factors that contributed to the low participation or involvement of parents in the activities
of the public basic schools. Low educational level, large family size, marital status, weak
economic background and nature of parents‟ occupation were the socio-economic factors
that influenced the lukewarm attitude of parents towards the activities of the public basic
schools. Based on the findings, it is recommended that the Parent Teacher Association
(PTA) should organise programmes to educate parents on the need to involve themselves
fully in the education of their children. Again, the inspectorate division of the Municipal
Education Directorate should strengthen their supervision to enable teachers in the public
schools perform their duties as expected of them. Also, the government in collaboration
with private individuals and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) should come out
with policies and programmes such as skill training, job creation, non-formal education to
support parents to provide good education for their children.
Description:
A thesis in the Department of Social Studies Education,
Faculty of Social Sciences, submitted to the School of
Graduate Studies in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the award of the degree of
Master of Philosophy
(Social Studies Education)
in the University of Education, Winneba
