Socio-economic status (SES) of parents and its effects on students' achievements in the Awutu Senya and Effutu Educational Directorates in the Central Region of Ghana

• Main Author: Yelkpieri, Daniel
• Other Authors: Goodwin, John ; Beck, Vanessa
• Published: University of Leicester 2016
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.692501

This study investigated how much influence the SES of parents has on students’ achievements in the Awutu-Senya and Effutu Educational Directorates of the Central Region of Ghana. The study focused on parents’ financial status, educational qualifications, jobs, enabling learning environment provided by parents and the type of school attended and how these affected students’ achievements. The study adopted a cross sectional and a multi-site case study designs. The population consisted of school officials, teachers, students of SHS and parents in the Awutu Senya and Effutu Educational Districts in the Central Region of Ghana. A sample size of 531 respondents was chosen for the study. The instruments used in the data collection were questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, direct observation and secondary data. A range of sampling techniques from simple random, purposive, census, to cluster sampling techniques was adopted in selecting the participants. The researcher used descriptive and inferential statistics in presenting the data. Respondents agreed that parents’ financial circumstances affected students’ academic achievements in the study area. Respondents were of the opinion that learning environment provided by parents at home determined the academic achievements of students. The study found that students from high socio-economic homes were provided with most of the materials they needed to succeed in their education than their counterparts. Respondents agreed to some extent with the assumption that educational qualifications of parents influenced students’ academic success. They argued that parents’ educational attainments enhanced home environment for students’ learning. The study made original contributions by highlighting parents’ financial difficulties they faced in promoting their children’s education, isolating some of the influences of SES of parents on students’ learning and providing policy implications. The study recommends that Government of Ghana should expand its youth training programme on skills acquisition to cover all categories of people who desire skills.