THE ROLE OF PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT IN ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF HIGH ACHIEVING SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE CENTRAL-TONGU DISTRICT OF GHANA

ABSTRACT The aim of the study was to explore the empirical evidence involving the role of parental involvement in academic achievement of high achieving students in the Central – Tongu District of the Volta Region of Ghana. The study was qualitative research with a case study design conducted in the Central-Tongu District of the Volta Region involving Adidome Senior High and Mafi-Kumase Senior High Technical Schools.Twelve (12) respondents comprising six (6) parents of high achievers and six (6) high achieving students were selected using extreme case purposeful sampling technique. To collect data, interview guides (one for parents and the other for students) were developed containing semi-structured items. The analysis of data collected was done manually using tables and detailed descriptions. The study revealed that parents of high achieving students were deeply involved in the educational process of their children (high achievers) in the home, in the school and in expectation. They do the involvement through: controlling their children, motivating them to learn, advising and encouraging them to learn and also paying their children‟s extra classes teaching at home. In the school, they pay the bills of their children, attend PTA meetings and communicate with school authorities and discuss the performance of their wards‟ with their children‟s teachers. They also set goals for their children which they support with resources to materialize.Based on the findings, the following recommendations were made: Firstly, parents ought to create enabling or conducive learning environment for their children to learn at home and motivate them (children) to learn. To ensure that children stay in school without being sacked, parents must pay the bills of their wards. They (parents) must never avoid attending PTA meetings organized by their wards‟ schools since most critical decisions are taken there. Secondly, the heads of the two institutions (ADISEC and MAKSETECH) need to devise other ways of communicating either the progress of their students or policies and programmes of the school to parents apart from report cards. Lastly, parents need to be counseled about their roles in the education of their children. Again, for children to excel academically, parents must set goals for them and clearly communicate such goals (expectations) to them (children) and the school authorities.