CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Good management in every organization is a necessary ingredient for higher

productivity. Where productivity goes up, the organization becomes important and

people are attracted to it. Performance of teachers and pupils makes a school

important. Where performance is high, the school reaps several benefits which

include increased enrolment leading to expansion. Regarding why performance is

low in some schools and high in others has been attributed to host of factors.

PTA is a voluntary association of parents and teachers in a particular school

established for its development. This concept of internal grouping arrangement tends

to facilitate good school – community relationship. In this perspective, obeying the

principles of good school – community relationship, parents are opportune to

understand what exist in school their wards attend and the constraints school

experienced in course of carrying out the administrative and instructional functions.

In Nigeria, PTA is backed by law in some states making it compulsory for parents

and teachers; while in other states it is voluntary. Whichever way, parents

mandatorily pay levies agreed by the association for their wards attendance in that

particular school ( Igwe, 1999).

The main tasks involved in teacher management and support include;

1. Supervising and monitoring the teacher regarding his punctuality and regularity to

school, his work output and involvement in all other activities outside the academic

area.

2. Providing decent housing accommodation and facilities that will improve his welfare

1
3. Supporting the teacher in handling domestic and social problems that may impact

negatively on his work

4. Providing opportunities for the teacher to develop his capabilities and potentials

Based on this practice, Enaohwo and Eferakeya (1989) note that in public schools it

is not well practiced and needs to be discouraged especially where PTA arrogates

themselves powers meant for Board of Governors, usually appointed by the ministry

of education to facilitate school governance. This assertion obviously portrays what

is tenable in contemporary struggling societies where education is corruptly managed

under the disguise of dwindling economy. This postulation provided impeccable

background for condemnation of PTA being an important avenue for school

financing.

Tasmania (2012), maintained that levy items are mostly consumables that student

uses during school year such as stationery, photocopying and printing paper; or the

costs of services such as bus hire and entry fees that are essential to delivery of the

education program. They suggested further that levies cannot be used to charge for

teacher salaries, or for the cost of relief teachers, either directly or indirectly, and are

not a source of general revenue or be raised to supplement areas of school funding

such as building maintenance, purchase of equipment or energy costs.

These are the obligations of school owners not parents in case of private institutions.

In this circumstance, Igwe (1999) citing Anderson and Van Dyke (1963) highlighted

some functions of PTA as applicable to public school (a) promoting better

acquaintances and healthy working relations between teachers and parents (b) serves

as effective channel of communication between the school a community (c) advise

2
the school staff, the board of governs or the school committee on pressing education

needs of the community as perceived by parents amongst others. The Board of

Governors functions include (a) budgeting and preparation of financial statement of

the school (b) raising and management of funds, subject to such guidelines as may

from time to time be approved by the commissioner for education (c) overseeing to

the collection of funds and revenues as applicable (d) authorizing and scrutinizing

the disbursement of all funds to mention but a few. In some public school the two

exist, the Board of Governors stands prominently. There are deviations of what the

PTA stands on their roles in relations to the concept of private school organizations

funding.

Perceived Problem

In the Gushegu District, structures are in place to ensure that teacher support system

is operating well. The district education directorate of the Ghana Education Service

has the role played Parent-Teacher Associations (PTA) in ensuring that all the needed

logistics are supplied and the teacher is effectively supervised to work among others.

The PTA supplies the infrastructural facilities and other needs that are beyond the

reach of the school. The teacher is expected to locate close to the school he teaches

implying that he should live in the community. The community then takes care of his

needs in terms of accommodation and other welfare. The effective functioning of

these management bodies will go a long way to improve performance of the teacher

and the pupils. However, it is observed that most teachers are not living in the

communities their schools are located and they appear dissatisfied with their job.

Additionally, parents in the community blame teachers for the poor performance of

3
 pupils while teachers put the blame partly on the local community and partly on GES

management for lack of the necessary support to enable them perform.

Problem Diagnosis

The role played by the Parent Teacher association has a direct effect on the

improvement of the academic performance of pupils. The study intends to identify

the strategies to improve the academic performance of pupil through the role of the

Parent Teacher Association. The study would use the action research design to

identify the causes of poor academic performance of pupils and identify the roles that

the parent Teacher Association can play to improve the academic performance of

pupils.

Evidence of the problem

The problem identified by the researcher was the poor academic performance of

pupils in Gushegu D/A Junior High School. A thorough analysis of the performance

of pupils in the Basic Education Certificate examination over the past four years

indicates a sharp decline in the candidates’ performance indexes. Candidates find it

difficult to get placement for their choice of schools due to poor performance in the

examination.

Causes of the Problem

1. The poor conditions of the classroom

2. Inadequate teaching and learning materials

4
3. Lack of supervision for teachers

4. Use of wrong methodology by teachers

5. Lack of parental interest and support for ward’s education

6. Child labour

Purpose and Objectives of the Study

The study seeks to identify the causes of poor performance among pupils of Gushegu

D/A Junior High School in the Gushegu District and also identify the roles that parent

teacher association could play in improving the academic performance of pupils in

Gushegu D/A Junior High School.

Objectives of the Study

The study seeks to achieve the following objectives:

1. Identify the causes of poor performance of Gushegu D/A Junior High School pupils

2. Identify the effect of the poor performance of Gushegu D/A Junior High School

pupils on the Gushegu Community.

3. Identify the role the parent teacher association could play to improve the academic

performance of pupils in Gushegu D/A Junior High School.

Research Questions

1. What are the causes of poor performance of Gushegu D/A Junior High School

pupils?

2. What are the effects of the poor performance of Gushegu D/A Junior High School

pupils on the Gushegu Community?

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3. What role the parent teacher association could play to improve the academic

performance of pupils in Gushegu D/A Junior High School?

Significance of the Study

It is the desire of the researcher that the study will uncover the difficulties teachers

face in executing their duties both inside and outside the classrooms and the support

they should give to the teacher which would improve his efficiency and in the long

run improve the academic performance of pupils.

Specifically, it is hoped the significance will be seen in the following areas.

1. How the communities can be made to work to support the teacher in the district

2. The knowledge acquired from the study will add to the body of literature and

give directions for further research

The outcome may enable planners to become more informed when considering new

policies regarding the welfare and support of the teacher.

Delimitations

The study covered pupils in Gushegu Junior High school. It covered improvement of

poor performance of pupils in Gushegu Junior High School. Specifically, it covered

personnel from the district education office, members of the school management

committees and parent teacher association and teachers.

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 CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

Introduction

This review intends to bring out some of the views on the role of the Parent

Teacher Association as a stakeholder in improving the academic performance of

pupils as presented by various individuals and groups in previous and existing

literature.

Poor academic performance in general has attracted the attention of many

intellectuals from different fields of studies. This compels them to investigate the

factors of low achievement. Some of these are as follows;

Agyeman (1993) in his studies of poor academic performance reported that a teacher

who does not have both the academic and professional teacher qualification would

undoubtedly have a negative influence on the teaching and learning of his/her

subject. However he further stated that a teacher who is academically and

professionally qualified but work under unfavorable condition of service would be

less dedicated to his/her work and thus would be less productive than a teacher who

is unqualified but works under favorable conditions of services.

Also, Neagley and Evans (1970) were of the view that effective supervision of

instruction can improve the quality of teaching and learning in the classrooms.

Nevertheless, Etsey, Amedahe, and Eldjah (2004) in a joint study of 60 schools from

pre – urban (29 schools) and rural (31 schools) areas in Ghana found that academic

achievement was better in private schools than in public school because of more

7
effective supervision of work.

Another factor is motivation. A highly motivated person puts the maximum effort in

his or her work. Several factors produce motivation and satisfaction. Young (1988)

examined the job satisfaction of Califonia public school teachers in the USA and

found out that one of the overall job predictors was the salary one earned from it.

More so, Lockheed Etal (1991) studies indicated that lack of motivation and

professional commitment produce poor attendance and unprofessional attitudes

towards students which in turns affect the performance of students academically.

In addition to the above mentioned the availability and use of teaching and learning

materials affect the effectiveness of teacher’s lessons. According to Bloom (1973)

the creative use of variety of materials increase the probability that the student would

learn more retain better than what they learn and improve their performance on the

skills that they are expected to develop. Also Ausubel (19973) is of the view that

young children are capable of understanding abstract ideas if they are provided with

sufficient materials and experience with the phenomenon that they are to understand.

Class size has been identified as a determinant of academic performance. Studies

have indicated that school with smaller class sizes perform better academically than

school with large class sizes. Therefore Kraft (1994) in his study of the ideal class

size and its effect on effective teaching and learning in Ghana concluded that class

size above 40 have negative effect on students achievement and below 40 contribute

positively in student achievement, also Aseidu Akroif (1978) indicated that since

children have difference in motivation, interest and abilities and that they also differ

in health, personal and social adjustment and creativity generally good teaching is

8
best done in classes with smaller numbers that allow for individual attention.

Additionally, Butler (1987) in his studies found a correlation between homework and

academic achievements. He stated that homework bore a positive relation with

learning outcome when it is relevant to learning objectives, assigned regularly in

reasonable amounts, well explained motivational and collected and reviewed during

class time and used as an occasion for feedback to students.

Churchill (1965) found a positive relationship between a location of a school and the

students and teachers performance.

Planning and Evaluation findings, on National Assessment of Education Progress

(NAEP) achievement in high poverty school (A special evaluation report for the

national assessment of title) on September 1998 based on special tabulation provided

by Educational Testing Service in conjunction with National Center for Education

Statistics, on the purpose of examining students achievement in the United States,

giving US department of Education long standing concern in the gap more advantage

peer, analyzing of recent trend, national and state NAEP assessment result in reading

and math for fourth grade years old students in high and low poverty schools came

out with the following key findings,

Lastly, reading presents a more completed picture. The gap in reading performance

between students in high and low poverty school is dramatically larger than the gap

in math and NAEP reading scores have been stagnant, with no significant across

levels of school poverty.

9
 Teacher Management and the Role of the Teacher in Education Delivery

When human resource management is poor, employees are seriously de-motivated.

Teacher management at the national and sub-national levels is not at its best. It is

contended that in most of Africa, “for almost all administration regarding teacher

management, one notes a lack of clear rules which tend to generate conflict, power

vacuum, and overlap and duplication of effort” (IIEP, 2004:35).

Bennel and Akyeampong (2007) have stated that teacher management tends to be

authoritarian, based on rigid hierarchical structures, which results in limited

participation, delegation, and communication by teachers with respect to major

school management functions and when teachers are subjected to these types of

management regimes they tend to have little sense of self-determination, which

seriously undermines job satisfaction and motivation.

UNESCO Publication on Education for All 11 (1992) indicates that the teacher is

very important in educational performance and has no effective substitute. The

following were mentioned as some of the major roles performed by the teacher:

1. Playing a central role in the delivery of learning opportunities

2. Acting through schools, teachers serve as the foundation for providing education that

will enable individuals to meet life’s challenges for their own wellbeing and that of

society.

3. Serving as the primary source of removing ignorance and eradicating illiteracy.

10
Similarly, O’Shaughnessy (June 2005), has indicated that teachers are the most

critical part of the system that delivers education and that the children will never

learn to read, write and do arithmetic without them.

Fullan and Hargneaveg (1986) state that no matter how noble, sophisticated or

enlightened proposal for change and improvement might be they come to nothing if

teachers do not adopt them in their own classrooms and if they do not translate them

into effective classroom practice.

These roles make it necessary for the teacher to be well managed and supported to

enable him perform. Bennel and Akyeampong (2007) have indicated that teacher

motivation depends critically on effective management, particularly at the school

level. If systems and structures set up to manage and support teachers are

dysfunctional, teachers are likely to lose their sense of professional responsibility

and commitment. One area of management crucial to the teacher concerns the

community within which the teacher is working.

The Role of the Community in Managing Teachers and Providing Support

The Commonwealth Secretariat (1993), states that for any school to operate

effectively it must have funds. It continues that all over the world school education

is funded by government but in some countries schools are heavily dependent on

funds obtained from other sources such as parents, students, community groups,

charitable foundations, local authority and individual business people.

Talking about people who have their children in the local educational system,

Robbins and Alvy (1995) indicate that parents may play traditional role from

11
 attending school open days and parent conferences to serving on school boards and

making general policy decisions to becoming a member of site based management

team involved in the everyday running of the school.

Seefeldt (1985) suggest that parents’ involvement should include decisions on

budget, selection of staff and general operating procedures and thus giving credence

to the invaluable contributions of parents’ bodies in school management. An

effective way of getting the parents involved is making them have a certain degree

of autonomy and this involves decentralization at the local level. Rondinelli and

Cheema (1983) define the concept decentralization in education as the transfer of

responsibility for planning, management, resource raising and allocation from central

government and its agencies to

1. Field units of central governments ministries (education level) or agencies (school

level)

2. Subordinate units or levels of government

3. Semi-autonomous public authorities or corporations

4. Area-wide regional or functional authorities

5. Non-governmental private voluntary organisations

It has been argued that decentralization of school management gives communities,

parents and teachers a stake in local school decision-making. Stakeholder

participation in school management is therefore seen as a mechanism that has the

potential to promote greater efficiency in the utilization and organization of resources

12
when decisions are made by those close to the point where services are being

delivered.

Bennel and Akyeampong (2007) support this view when they stated that it is widely

contended that the comprehensive decentralisation of school management functions

will result in significant improvements in teacher recruitment and deployment

practices and higher teacher motivation and overall performance. They however

indicate that the link between decentralisation and improved teacher performance is

often quite weak in government schools because education decentralisation has, in

practice, remained quite limited in many developing countries (especially in much

of South Asia) and that the capacity of parents and local stakeholders to exercise

control over school managers and teachers is limited.

Ozigi (1977), indicates that members of the community participates in some of the

school activities such as speech and prize giving days, sporting activities, school

social programmes, staff parties and others. Such occasions enable the public to see

some aspects of school life and to learn about its achievement and difficulties and to

appeal for support, cash or in kind for projects like libraries, books and others.

The Ghana Education Service Act (1995) Article 9 subsection 2 called for the

creation of District Education Oversight Committees (DEOC). It was empowered to

directly participate in the management of teachers and providing support. Subsequent

government official policy document have urged District Assemblies, Parent Teacher

Associations and School Management Committees to take active participation in the

management of schools in their locality.

13
 The PTA/SMC Handbook (2001) spells out the participation in teacher management

and support by the stake holders in the community in detail. According to the

handbook the School Management Committee is a committee designated under the

Ghana Education Act of 1994 and constitutes the highest body overseeing education

delivery in the school in the local community.

According to the Headteachers’ Handbook (1994), published by the Ghana

Education Service, the Parent Teacher Association is an association of parents and

guardians of the children in the school. Similar to the SMC it is concerned with the

welfare of both teachers and pupils in the school in the community. In most of the

cases, the SMC and the executive committee of the PTA come together to address

issues confronting the school.

According to the handbook, the role of the PTA and SMC have been grouped into

three –

1. Efficiency in management

2. Quality teaching and learning

3. Increasing access and participation

Regarding efficiency in management, the document focuses on the proper

constitution of the PTA /SMC, the training programmes that they should have,

planning and conduct of meetings, ensuring good relationship between the school

and the community, prepare school performance improvement plans and ensure the

projects are carried out and ensuring that there are productive links between the

14
school and the District Education Office, District Education Oversight Committees

(DEOC), government authorities and external agencies.

Regarding the effective way of ensuring efficiency in management by the PTA/SMC,

a training programme was organized for them to equip them with the necessary skills.

All PTA/SMC in the district were trained through the Community School Alliance

organized by USAID under the QUIPS programme in collaboration with the

Government of Ghana in 2003. The PTA/SMC was expected after the training to

bring the whole community up to understand what they need to do about the school

in the community.

O’Shaughnessy (June 2005), indicates that traditional and community leaders have

very special responsibility for the school and educating the parents about important

issues. In many places the chief determines how things work. In some places, special

rules have been passed to protect children from influences like video shows and other

late night activities. The parents are educated regarding the need to enroll their

children in school, providing basic school supplies the children need and assisting

the SMC in providing materials like books, developing and maintaining school

infrastructure by organizing communal labour, visiting schools to monitor teacher

attendance and finding out about what the school needs.

Teacher Housing and Welfare

When the work and living environment for the teacher is poor, it tends to lower self-

esteem and is generally de-motivating. According to Akyeampong (2003) schools in

many countries lack basic amenities such as pipe borne water and electricity, staff

rooms and toilets and that housing is a major issue for nearly all teachers. He

15
continues that in Ghana, the percentage of teachers who are housed increased from

only 5 percent in 1988 to 30 per cent in 2003. The availability of housing is believed

to be due to the nature of housing delivery system operating in an area.

Richardson (1976) defines housing delivery as a set of institutional and technical

arrangement for mobilizing and converting widely dispersed resources into housing

goods and services. To him, housing delivery systems vary widely in size and

complexity according to context. The configuration, structure and performance of a

housing delivery system are determined partly by internal relationship between its

components and partly by socio economic and institutional factors in its context. As

a result there are many types of delivery systems.

Turner and Frichter (1972), state that the delivery system spans a spectrum from

centralized hierarchical systems network to decentralized delivery networks. They

mention indigenous traditional delivery system and participant system as some of the

types of delivery systems under the decentralized network. The indigenous

traditional delivery system is the case where the owner contributes towards the cost.

The actual house cost is within the means of most rural families. The participant

system is where individuals come together to form societies and contribute to the

cost communally. The centralized network comes under the umbrella of

organizations and the state.

This situation is in line with the view of Bennel and Akyeampong (2007) who have

indicated that major improvement in the incentives for teachers in rural schools is

identified as the top priority in nearly every country and that unless this is done, the

large majority of children who live in rural areas will continue to receive poor quality

16
 education. They further assert that in the short term, the provision of good quality

housing with running water and electricity for teachers is probably the most cost-

effective way of attracting and retaining teachers at hard-to-staff rural schools. They

feel that in most countries, rural allowances would have to be at least half of basic

pay in order to staff schools with qualified and able teachers. According to Musaazi

(1985), there have been a number of occasions where parents have willingly erected

school buildings and built houses to accommodate teachers.

O’Shaughnessy (June 2005), has indicated that a problem that persists in many

schools is teacher attendance and punctuality and that where teachers have

accommodation in the community; it is easier for them to be on time every day. She

felt that it is the duty of communities to support teachers by helping them with

housing and food and preparing farms for them.

In their study of secondary schools in Cape Coast municipality for instance, Owolabi

and Edzii (2000) concluded that external incentives, specifically Ghana Education

Service packages of incentives like the Best Teacher Award, do not motivate teachers

adequately enough but internal incentive packages by way of free meals, bonuses,

staff welfare funds from which teachers are offered soft loans and annual get-together

dinners provided by the school’s PTA are more attractive and these retain teachers

in the schools and make them more committed to the job. Page 99 of the SMC/ PTA

Handbook has the following to say about teachers’ welfare regarding what the

community should do.

1. Set up welfare fund out of which needy teachers can be helped

2. Welcome teachers and help them solve their initial problems

17
3. Acquire suitable accommodation for teachers

4. Introduce teachers to prominent members of the community

5. Undertake income generating ventures to support teachers

6. Help teachers to acquire land for farming/houses

7. Counsel teachers on community way of life

8. Regularly interact with teachers to discuss their problems

Staff Motivation and Incentive as Part of Teacher Support

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs theory postulates that humans have specific needs that

must be met. According to him there are five ‘levels’ of need, namely physiological

(thirst, sex, hunger), safety (security, stability and protection), love and

belongingness, self-esteem and self-actualisation (see Maslow, 1943). A key

proposition is that if the lower level needs remain unmet, the higher level needs

cannot be fulfilled. This theory seems particularly relevant to teachers in developing

countries because meeting the basic survival needs of food and shelter as well as

security in conflict situations are major daily challenges for teachers in many

countries. These can seriously impair the realisation of higher level needs without

which effective teacher performance cannot be attained.

Bennel and Akyeampong (2007) feel that teachers who are tired and hungry and

excessively preoccupied about meeting their household’s livelihood needs, are

unlikely to become strongly motivated by their involvement in professional

development activities. Based on survey data from five Francophone countries

18
 (Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Madagascar and Senegal), Michaelowa

however, finds that the salary variables showed no noticeable impact on teacher job

satisfaction. She concludes that “the role of salaries does not seem to be as important

as many people believe” (Michaelowa, 2002: 18).

Owolabi and Edzii (2000) maintain that the decision to remain in an environment is

influenced by rewards and incentive packages. Where these are present in the school

environment, teachers remain in the school. According to them, the urge to perform,

also depends on intrinsic rewards, recognition and achievement and inter personal

relationship. In this respect a teacher feels satisfied when he is entrusted with some

responsibility and he feels he is making progress and if this is accompanied with a

simple “thank you” from the community.

Roux, Ilukana, Averia and Truebody (1993), classify factors which affect staff

motivation into four categories namely personal needs, work situation factors,

management methods, and community values. The positive factors according to them

would boost morale and enhance output while the negative ones would hinder

productivity.

Holding a similar view, Hanson (1991), declares that motivation techniques must

respond to three organizational needs –

1. The people must be attracted and retained by the organization

2. People must be induced to conscientiously and effectively perform their tasks

3. People must be spurred on to engage in creative and innovative work related actions

that resolve problems increasingly and efficiently.

19
Regarding staff retention, Adesina (1990), conducted a research among secondary

school teachers on factors affecting teacher retention and it came to light that

underpayment, poor promotion prospects, poor conditions of service, societal

disrespect for teachers and government insensitivity to the plight of teachers were

behind.

Antwi (1992) declares that in Ghana low teacher retention can be attributed to the

negative change in public attitude towards the teaching profession. The negative

change, he notes has driven some of the best brains away to other occupations that

enjoy high societal respect. He also adds poor remuneration as a factor.

A document issued by the Ghana Education Service Council on conditions and

scheme of service and the code of professional conduct and duplicated by the Ghana

National Association of Teachers (GNAT) in November 2000 mentioned what is

expected of a teacher and his welfare when entering into the service, issues

concerning his postings and transfers, remunerations due him and the entry points,

fringe benefits and working conditions he is entitled to, leave options available to

him, how grievances should be addressed, and the expectations required of him in

the service.

Regarding the community’s role in ensuring that there is quality teaching and

learning, the PTA/SMC is to ensure that there is performance based incentive

packages for teachers and pupils, catering adequately for teachers and pupils’

welfare. Page 97 of the PTA/SMC handbook for instance indicates the following as

the specific steps PTA and SMC should take in providing incentives to teachers and

pupils:

20
1. Identify those who should be awarded

2. Be fair in the selection of award winners

3. Fix the date for the presentation of the award

4. Invite all stakeholders to the ceremony

5. Purchase and provide attractive awards

6. Invite award winners

7. Organize entertainment package i.e. brass band, cultural troupe, drama

The reviewed literature has clearly showed that the teacher is very important in the

nation’s progress. No meaningful development can be achieved if due attention is

not given to the teacher. It has also been noted that the teacher performs better and

go through all sacrifices if he is adequately supported and the management bodies in

education and the local school community has major role to play in this.

21
 CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Introduction

This chapter is made up of research design, population and sample selection, research

instrument, data collection procedure, limitations and data analysis.

Research Design

Action Research is the research design used for the project. Action research is a kind

of research activity in which the researcher works collaboratively with other people

to solve a problem. It is an approach which aims at improving a problem related

situation through change. It also enable both the researcher and the pupils to develop

appropriate intervention strategies aimed at finding solutions to the problem

identified in the teaching and learning situation, action research is an essential aspect

of the teacher professional’s responsibilities which help them to understanding what

actually goes on the teaching and learning situation

It also equips the modern teacher in term of understanding various methods and

approaches that suit his/her pupils.

It also enhances the teacher’s professional status, promotes teacher’s personal

development, and improvement of his/her practices.

Finally, the findings from Action Research provides the teacher the opportunity of

acquiring a better understanding of all aspects of his/her own practice be it in a

related subject content Curriculum or the method appropriate tool the level of the

pupils.

22
Population and Sample Selection

According to the Cambridge Learner Dictionary (2000), population is defined as all

the people living in a particular country, area, or place and sample is a small amount

of people or things taken from a larger group and used in tests to provide information

about the group.

Gushegu has about four public Junior High schools. In Gushegu D/A Junior High

School, the population of pupils is three hundred and eighty six (386). The school

has about thirteen teachers. The researcher however limited the study to form three

pupils. The total number of pupils in form three is fifty -five (55).

In selecting the sample, the researcher used the simple random sampling method to

create a sample for the study. The simple random sampling technique was employed

because most pupils performed poorly in class. The total number of pupils selected

for the study was twenty (20) pupils. The researcher also sampled 5 teachers from

the school and 10 parents. The headmaster and the chairman for the PTA in the

school were also identified for interviewing.

Research Instruments

The researcher used three different instruments with the aim of obtaining perfect and

comprehensive results as each of the instrument had its limitation. For instance

interview which is face to face interaction between the interviewer and the

interviewee with the aim of collecting information has its limitation. This cannot be

used where each of the researcher not interviewee are not prepared to respond during

23
the interactions with the interviewer.

With observation in which the researcher collects information about pupils through

watching, listening and recording cannot study the opinion and attitude directly

despite the fact that it can be used where other instrument fails. Also it cannot provide

information about the past.

Lastly test was conducted to collect information about pupils’ performance in all the

subjects before and after the intervention.

Data Collection Procedure

This aspect is made up of pre – intervention, intervention and post – intervention.

Pre – intervention

Observation and interview were used to gather information about the pupils. Test

was used to collect information about pupils relating to their academic achievements.

Observation was used to determine the attitude punctuality of pupils towards schools.

Interventions

The PTA in their general meeting resolved that through the motivation of teachers,

there would be a significant improvement in the performance of their wards. The

association therefore approved that measures should be taken to look at the

accommodation problems of the teachers who have been posted from other regions

of the country to render their service to the people of Gushegu.

Also, the basic teaching and learning materials which were not available in the school

24
for teaching and learning to on efficiently were provided through the funds raised by

the PTA.

The PTA also paid visits to the school to interact with the teachers and to address

any problem they faced which is within their jurisdiction.

The PTA also organised compulsory extra tuition sessions for the pupils. This was

aimed at providing addition income for masters who were committed to improve the

performance of pupils.

Teachers who had interest in farming within the community were supported with

tractor services. This measure was aimed at improving the teacher retention ratio in

the community.

Post intervention

Tests were organized again and the results showed improvement in pupils’ academic

performance as compared to previous scores. It is the researcher’s hope that the

initiatives taken by the PTA would be sustained if not improved. This would

ultimately improve the performance of pupils in the Basic Education Certificate

Examination.

25
Limitation

This section of the researcher is devoted to the presentation of problems or

difficulties encountered during the course of study.

As a student on the Distance Education Programme, the preparation of lesson notes;

teaching and learning materials; giving of exercises being part of the teaching, this

has put constraints on the researcher for the conduct of the study.

More so the unwillingness on the part of the pupils, their guardians and other close

relation to give information limited the research. This made the collection of

information on the research difficult.

Data Analysis Plan

Test in terms were used to analyze the data of this piece of work. Tests were marked

and were grouped in tens e.g. 0 – 10, 11 – 20 etc. in such a way that any student

whose marks falls between the average range of marks in each subject was recorded

in the range of marks in relation to the subjects. This procedure was done before and

after intervention.

The data collected was analyzed using simple percentage and tables. This statistical

instrument aided in the determination of the intensity of the problem and the

effectiveness of the intervention strategies.

26
 CHAPTER FOUR

PRESENTATION OF RESULTS AND FINDINGS

Introduction

This chapter discusses the results that were realised after using the various research

instruments and the implementation of the interventions. The results are presented in

tables.

Table 1: Sample size

Members Number Percentage (%)

Pupils 20 57

Teachers 5 14

Parents 10 28

Total 35 100

Table 1 shows that pupils constituted 57% of the sample used for the study, teachers

represented 14% of the study whiles parents constituted 28% of the study.

27
 Figure 1: Gender of Respondents

From the figure above, about fifty-two percent (52%) of the pupils were males whiles

forty – eight percent (48%) of the pupils were females.

28
Table 2: who do pupils live with?

Who do you live with Responses Percentage (%)

Both parents 15 75.00

Father only 3 15.00

Mother only 2 10.00

Total 20 100.00

From the table above, 15 students representing 75% live with both parents (mother

and father) whiles 3 students representing 15% lived with only their fathers, 2

students representing 10% stay with their mothers only.

Table 3: number of siblings

Number of Siblings Responses Percentage (%)

1-4 8 40.00

5-8 7 35.00

Above 8 5 25.00

Total 20 100.00

29
From the table 8 pupils representing 40% stated that they had between 1-4 siblings,

7 pupils representing 35% agreed that they had between 5-8 siblings and five pupils

representing 25% stated they had above eight siblings.

Table 4: pre- intervention scores

Scores (20) Frequency Percentage (%)

1-5 10 50

6-10 5 25

11-15 3 15

16-20 2 10

Totals 20 100

From table four, about 15 pupils representing 75% scored below the past mark whiles

about 5 representing 25% pupils scored above the average score. This table therefore

shows that three- thirds of the pupils performed poorly.

30
Table 5: causes of poor performance among pupils

Causes Frequency Percentage (%)

Poor classroom condition 10 50

Lack of motivation for teachers 5 25

Lack of support from parents 5 25

Total 20 100

From the table above, 10 pupils representing 50% of the population agreed that the

cause of their poor performance was due to poor classroom conditions, 5 pupils

representing 25% agreed that lack of motivational programmes for the teachers

resulted in their poor performance whiles 5 pupils representing 25% attributed the

cause of their poor performance to the low support they receive from parents towards

their education.

Table 6: post intervention test results

Scores (20) Frequency Percentage (%)

1-5 2 10

6-10 5 25

11-15 10 50

16-20 3 15

Totals 20 100

31
According to table seven which shows the scores of pupils after the intervention

activity, seven pupils representing 35% of pupils scored marks below the average

score whiles thirteen pupils representing 65% of pupils scored marks above the

average score.

32
 CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Summary

Parents may bold different beliefs and attitudes in the school policies that may hinder

the development of the school. Some teachers regard it as an interference in their

professional autonomy. It is possible that increased parent involvement in school

could result in increased political struggle with little or even negative impact on

student achievement and the culture and functioning ofthe school (MaCary, 1986).

It is mainly because a PTA will bring in the influence of another institution -the

family - into the school. When parents serve a. school managers, the influence will

be even stronger. The increased accountability and workload may have adverse

impact on the climate, the culture or even the ways of working of the staff.

The PTA had some favourable impacts on the involved parents’ perceptions towards

the teachers. These perceptions enhanced the parents’ relationship with the teachers

and facilitated them to view the teachers as partners in the educational process.

The parents, though some of them claimed that teachers were their partners in the

educational process, did not expect to share with them the decision making in the

school management committee.

The involved parents’ perception of the teachers as partners in the educational

process bad enhanced parent-teacher cooperation in the remedy of the students'

problems and in the promotion of the wellbeing of the children.

33
The impacts on the perception of the non-involved parents was obviously less

significant and this was a barrier for the development of a closer parent-teacher

relationship.

The PTA had some impacts on the parents' practices, as the involvement extended

from home to school. Apart from the emergence of two-way and interactive mode of

communication, the parents acted as participants in school activities and as helpers

to teachers. Yet, it had to note that the impact on the parents roles as "learners" and

"teachers' were less significant. Certainly. The impact was even less significant in

the parents as the advocates for school policies.

Parent involvement was found discriminatory. The parents placed higher priority in

the academic activities than other involvement activities the parents of lower forms

students bad more involvement than the parents of senior forms students.

Many parents, who did not see the need and the merits of involvement activities, had

little participation in the educational process even the PTA offered them the

opportunities.

After the forming of the PTA, the teachers experienced some perceptual changes and

an improvement in relationship with the "involved' parents, which facilitated them

to take parents as partners in the educational process.

The teachers perceived that the PTA had no significant impact on the practices of the

non-involved parents who were still playing a passive role in the educational process.

34
Most of the teachers viewed that parents were their educational partners with

working together relationship but not shared decision making relationship. Yet the

understanding of partners in this manner was adequate enough for the teachers to

work cooperatively with the parents to enhance the educational effects. The teachers

perceived that many parents were academic advocates, but they were characterized

with low efficacy.

The teachers' practices in parent involvement activities increased in number and in

kinds. They accommodated the parents as the participants and helpers in the school

activities.

It was found that the PTA was not in the priority of the school agenda. The limitation

of manpower and resources were the major reasons why the school lacked of a whole

school policy. In fact, many teachers were not involved in the PTA activities.

To promote parent involvement in the educational process, the school employed

some specific and differentiated practices, such as parents as the organizers of the

school activities, and parents as the guests to give prizes.

The teachers found that since the formation of the PTA in the school, their

accountability to the parents had increased. Many were bemused in accepting more

accountability and accommodating the parents in the school management committee.

The above are the most salient points drawn from the empirical study of the impacts

of the PTA on the perceptions and practices of the parents and the teachers. They

interweave into a holistic picture of the dynamics of parental involvement in the case

study school.

35
Conclusions

The major findings in this study imply that the educators and policy makers need to

extend their effort to understand the key elements that link up with the impacts of the

PTA in the educational process.

The impacts of the PTA in the educational process depends on the enthusiasm and

participation of parents and teachers in involvement practices. In other words, the

occurrence of parent involvement is related to the parents' and teachers needs and

their priority placed on the need.

Even parents have the need, they may not involve in the PTA activities because they

do not regard it as a priority when compared with other needs. For instance despite

that some parents realize the importance of home-school cooperation, they may

allocate their lime to do a part-time job as they may regard the need of earning more

money as more important than attending the involvement activities. Or they prefer to

attend other activities, such as having tea with their friends than to attend the PTA

activities. It accounts for the fact that, even a school makes the opportunities

available, there are very few parents who participate in the PTA programmes.

Many parents prefer to attend the academic seminars than the PTA social activilies.

It is because that they place higher priority on the academic aetivities than the othes

activities.

Similarly teachers may claim that they take the parents as their partners in the

education of children and the home-school cooperation is an important issue in the

school. Yet, many teachers seldom attend and help in the parent involvement

36
activities. It is because that, with limited manpower they may regard the other tasks

even more important and with higher priority iii the school agenda, such as the

administration duties or the curriculum affairs.

This finding bears a policy implication for the Hong Kong Education Department

and the schools intending to form a PTA. If PTA is to be an influential body to

enhance the educational effects on the students, the basic task is to promote the

parents' and teachers' awareness of the priority of the involvement need. Merely

having the mission is not enough. In fact, action following the mission is vital in

accomplishing the success of parent-teacher cooperation.

Recommendations

There should be a Guidance and Counseling department in every school where the

psychological, emotional and academic challenges of students could be tackled. In

some countries in Asia, teachers do not end their interaction with their students at the

school premises. They go further to pay visits to their students to know what the

students do at home and the circumstances under which the students do extra learning

at home.

Religious bodies should not concentrate more on theoretical views of issues to the

detriment of realities children face. Children from single parent homes should be

thought to have faith in a super power to build self-esteem and control their emotional

traumas.

Parents should be flexible in handling the problems of their children. The study

advises that a parent could adopt different parental styles at different times to solve

37
the problem at hand. This approach would not expose children to the limitations of

one parental style.

Last but not least, teachers handling adolescents are encouraged to adopt different

instructional methods of controlling their behaviours in school because of the

individual differences of students and their socio – cultural backgrounds.

38
Suggestions for further studies

This study has provided a description and an explanatory account on the impacts of

the PTA. With these findings as the starting points, further researches may be

conducted to explore the strength, weakness and applicability of the different types

of involvement practices in the local schools. Some other research directions are also

suggested -the impacts of the PTA oil the students learning and development, on the

parents' and teachers' efficacy, and on the issue of optimum level of parent

involvement in school. These research studies may provide useful information in the

management of a successful PTA.

39
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