Parental Monitoring and Child Performance in Ghana

Abstract

The role of parents in the guiding and monitoring of child activities is critical towards the development of the child. In Ghana reforms taken, especially at the basic school level, have focused on improving school infrastructure and enrolment ignoring parents awareness to actively involve themselves both at home and in school activities which the researcher believe is critical toward the attainment of the much needed improvement in performance of students. The research will explore the practice of parental monitoring activities in Ghanaian homes which are needed to improve child performances at school. Specifically the study will explore the practice of parental monitoring in the Junior high school and to determine the relevant aspects of parental monitoring necessary to improve a child academic performance. A sequential explanatory mixed design strategy was adapted for the study. Primary data was collected using a questionnaire from parents of 810 selected basic school students across five regions in Ghana. Sampling of respondents in this study employed the use of multi-stage sampling techniques involving; a purposeful sampling of Five (5) Regions including: Ashanti, Greater Accra, Central, Northern, and Eastern, followed by simple random selection of 10 pupils per each grade in starting from Grade 1 to 6 in each of the selected randomly three selected schools in each Region. Data obtained during survey were entered into a SPSS statistical software subsequently analysed using both descriptive and inferential methods. Parental monitoring was measured using seven monitoring activities including: Setting Tv time for child, limiting playing time, monitoring homework, Selecting TV programme for child, Setting time for children to come back from school, setting study time for children and selecting subjects for children The Factor analysis technique was conducted on the measurement items of the parental monitoring construct. The study found that parent involvement in all monitoring activities of their children toward academic work was low. The study also establish six major aspects of parental monitoring which parents need to actively engage in for the realization of improved performance.