Social and academic challenges of adolescents in Senior High Schools in the Cape Coast Metropolis

Abstract

This study was done to investigate the social and academic challenges of adolescents in senior high schools in the Cape Coast Metropolis. A descriptive research design was employed. A researcher-designed questionnaire was used for data collection. The reliability coefficient of the questionnaire was established using the Cronbach alpha method. Reliability coefficient obtained was .72. A sample of 367 respondents was selected from five public senior high schools in the Cape Coast Metropolis via purposive, stratified and simple random sampling procedures. The quantitative data were analyzed using means and standard deviations, independent samples t-test and one way analysis of variance, ANOVA. The study revealed that generally, students in senior high schools in the Cape Coast Metropolis were faced with many social and academic challenges. Furthermore, the study revealed that there were significant differences in the social and academic challenges of adolescents on the basis of gender, age and class levels. It was therefore, recommended that counsellors should be more sensitized about the challenges the students in the senior high schools face. Also, housemasters, housemistresses, teachers, parents and other stakeholders should play a significant role by putting measures in place to assist adolescents in their social and academic challenges. The study also includes implications for counselling.