Designing A Model For Promoting Effective Parent-Teacher Cooperation Towards Preventing Premarital Sexual Practices Among Students In Day Secondary Schools

ABSTRACT

The study aimed at designing a model for promoting effective parent-teacher cooperation towards preventing Premarital Sexual Practices (PSPs) among day secondary school students. Epstein‟s theory of parental involvement (Epstein, 1996) and the ecological system theory (Bronfenbrenner, 1994) guided this study in the process of data collection and interpretation. A mixed research approach of both qualitative and quantitative research approaches was used in the study to maximize the effectiveness of the study. However descriptive - ethnographic research design guided the study. Purposive sampling, simple random sampling and stratified sampling techniques were employed in selecting 24 students, 12 teachers and 14 parents to participate in the study. The study found that there was high extent degree of PSPs among day secondary school students. According to the recent study, the main forces for students‟ involvement into PSPs were found to be excessive freedom given to children by their parents (20.37%), economic constraints (25.53%) and peer pressure (29.79%). On the other hand, study also found that there was pathetic parent-teacher cooperation in preventing PSPs caused mainly by poor response from parents. Teachers were found to make more efforts in strengthening cooperation than their counterparts (parents). This study therefore, designed a model for promoting effective parent-teacher cooperation towards preventing PSPs among students in day secondary schools. The study recommended on inclusion of the issue of parentteacher cooperation in the country‟s education policy. The study also recommended on provision of important services in schools and colleges such as water, food and health services to ensure safe environment for students to study. The government should also consider the provision of necessary needs such as school uniforms, books and food to children from poor families to enhance equity and access in education. Further the study called for fulfillment of responsibilities by both the parents and teachers and students particularly in promoting effective parent-teacher cooperation towards preventing PSPs among the students. The study also recommended that, further studies should apply the vi model in the secondary schools for assessing its efficacy towards attaining the expected goal