Investigating the impact of home factors on junior high school girls’ academic performance in peri-urban areas: a case study of Dome cluster of schools

Abstract

The study investigated the home factors affecting the academic performances of girl children in the Dome cluster of schools. A descriptive survey methodology was employed in this research. Through a multistage sample technique, 197 respondents were randomly selected. The primary data for the study were collected using a closed-ended questionnaire prepared by the researchers. The findings from the data collection were presented in terms of frequencies, percentages, averages, and standard deviations. The study concluded that the girl child at the Dome cluster of school was involved in household chores, fetching water, household income-generating activities, looking after their siblings and food preparation. The study, also, concluded that parents of students at the Dome cluster of school are of high socioeconomic status and highly involved in their academic work. Also, a girl’s academic performance at the Dome cluster of schools is positively influenced by her home environment factors such as access to educational resource, parental involvement in school events, and her family’s socioeconomic level. However, girl child home activity negatively influenced academic performance. It was recommended that authorities may encourage a balanced distribution of household chores, enhance parental involvement in school events and provide additional support for girls from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.

Keywords:

• Curricula, domestic environment
• girl-child education
• home factors
• school performance
• socio-economic level

Reviewing Editor:

• Arif H Kabir
• School of Education, Deakin University School of Education
• Australia

Subjects:

• Educational Research
• Education Studies
• Philosophy of Education
• Research Methods in Education
• School Psychology
• Sociology of Education
• Childhood
• Curriculum Studies
• Education Policy & Politics
• Educational Psychology

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ronald Osei Mensah

Ronald Osei Mensah is a Lecturer with the Social Development Section, Takoradi Technical University, Takoradi, Ghana and a Ph.D. Candidate with the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana. He holds M.Phil. in Sociology from the University of Cape Coast, Ghana, M.A in Public Administration from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), B.A in Sociology from the University of Cape Coast, Ghana and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Education (Social Studies) from the University of Education, Winneba-Ghana. He has cross-cutting research experience in the area of Sociology of Education, Sociology of Law and Criminal Justice, Criminal Justice Education, Penology, Global Crime Studies, Media Studies and African History.

Andrews Acquah

Andrews Acquah is currently an Assistant Research Fellow at the National Centre for Research into Basic Education, University of Education, Winneba. He holds Bachelor of Education (Arts) Degree and a Master of Philosophy degree in Curriculum and Teaching all from the University of Cape Coast, Ghana. He is currently a second year PhD student reading Curriculum and Teaching at the University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana. His research interest cuts across the areas of Teacher Education, Curriculum development, religious education, and Teacher Professional Development.

Daniel Yeboah Mensah

Daniel Yeboah Mensah works at the Office of the Vice-Chancellor (Monitoring and Evaluation Unit) at the University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana. He holds Masters in Public Administration and has research interest in work- and work-related issues that affects health, wellbeing and productivity of employees, youth education and girl-child education.