Exploring parental socio-economic activities and school attendance among early grade learners in the Ekumfi District.

Abstract

The study explored parental socio-economic activities and school attendance among early grade learners' in the Ekumfi District. The study was guided by the social reproduction and the investment theory. The interpretivist paradigm rooted in the qualitative approach was selected for the study. The study employed phenomenological design. The population however consisted all parents of pupils in Akwansa Kokodo D/A Basic School. However, the accessible population consisted of only early grade parents. Ten (10) parents were selected for the study by means of purposive sampling. The instrument used for data collection was semi-structured interview guide. A thematic analysis was adopted to analyze the data obtained. The study established that specific socio-economic activities undertaken by parents in the Ekumfi District were agricultural activities such as fishing and farming, masons, tailors, hawkers, fruit and vegetable sellers, and the operation provision shops. Finally, some of them are formally employed as teachers and nurses. Additionally, parental education, age, large family sizes, and cultural norms were confirmed as their socio-economic factors that hinder pupils regular school attendance. Moreover, the parents believed that to ensure their involvement in their children's education to promote their regular school attendance, they should make time to establish open lines of communication between schools to enable them to corroborate effectively with them such as during PTA meetings. Finally, the parents cherished that in order to maintain a balance between their socio-economic activities and their children's school attendance, the empowerment of women, proper education of the girl child and the spirit of hard work can enable them do so. Conclusively, collaborating and communicating effectively with the schools were confirmed as other potential strategies. Therefore, the study recommended that public basic schools in the Ekumfi District should stablish efficacious open-door policies and communication with the parents to enable arrest of absenteeism among early grade children. Finally, the Ekumfi District Assembly should consider initiating policies that would empower parents in the District especially those in the areas where poverty level is high, so that they can earn decent incomes, take good care of their children and provide a good enabling environment in the home to enhance learning.