Effect of parental involvement on academic performance: A comparative study of selected public and private junior high schools in the Gomoa East district in Ghana

This study was designed to examine the effect of parental involvement on the academic performance of private and public junior high schools in the Gomoa East district in Ghana. The sequential explanatory mixed-method design was employed for the study. A sample size of 256 was selected from a population of 698 parents, students and headteachers in the selected schools. Simple random sampling, cluster sampling and purposive sampling techniques were used to select the participants for the study. Questionnaires and interview guides were the instruments for data collection. Analyses were done using percentages, multiple regression and Independent samples t-test. Though the study showed a significant difference in the parental involvement levels of parents, there was no significant difference in academic performance levels of students in public and private junior high schools. Regression analysis indicated that parental involvement did not affect academic performance in the selected schools. The study concluded that parental involvement challenges in the district should be tackled together with other factors affecting academic performance in the district. It is recommended that awareness of parental role in the education of children should be created through PTA meetings and the establishment of annual PTA week.