DETERMINANTS OF PUPILS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN THE EFFUTU MUNICIPALITY GHANA; IMPLICATIONS FOR COUNSELLING

ABSTRACT

This multivariate study examines the relationships among parental status, parental level of education, class size, location of school parental involvement, teacher effectiveness, academic motivation and academic self-concept on pupils’ academic performance. The research design for the study was a sequential explanatory with mixed methods approach. Stratified, simple random and purposive samplings were used to sample 324 pupils from the population for both quantitative and qualitative phases. A cross sectional survey was first conducted to gather quantitative data on the respondents (n=315). In the follow-up qualitative phase, it was undertaken with nine (9) pupils. The instruments employed for data collection were closed ended questionnaire and semi-structured interview.  The quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, bivariate and partial correlations, multiple regression, chi-square and multiple logistics regression analyses. The qualitative data were subjected to thematic analysis. The findings of the study established that, parental involvement and teacher effectiveness related significantly to pupils’ academic performance. The study also found that parental involvement, teacher effectiveness, academic motivation and academic self-concept contributed significantly to pupils’ academic performance. Again, pupil’s academic motivation significantly increases high academic performance and was statistically significant as its p-value (0.000) less than 0.05 significance level. It was also found that appraisal, information and consultation services improve pupils’ academic performance. From the findings, it is recommended that parents, teachers, counsellors and the Ministry of Education work together to support pupil’s academic endeavour irrespective of their parental status, parental level of education, class size and location of school. Also, pupils should be academically motivated by parents, teachers, counsellors and pupils’ themselves to study on their own to become personally responsible for their success in future.