Parental attitude towards girls' education and its influence on community action: The case of selected communities in the Central Region

Abstract

Girls lag behind boys at all levels of formal education in Ghana. Enrolment, retention, and transition and achievement rates for girls are always lower than that of boys. This means that even many of the girls who are enrolled in school do not complete Junior Secondary School. There is the strong belief that negative parental attitude must be blamed for the low level education of girls. The purpose of the study was, therefore, to examine current parental attitude towards the education of girls as well as to find out what actions communities of the Central Region might undertake to promote girls' education at the basic level. Through interviews of parents, community opinion leaders, head-teachers and Directors of education in both rural and urban areas in selected communities in the Twifo-Hemang-Lower Denhyira and Awutu-Efutu-Senya Districts, the perception of people towards girls' education was examined. Also examined was the basis on which parents decide the sex of child to send to school and parental aspirations for their children especially girls. Finally the study explored the preparedness of communities to take actions that would increase the participation of girls in basic education. The study revealed that generally parents would want to educate both boys and girls, however when there are other demands on the family's resources that the education of the girl child is considered a secondary issue. It was also established in the study that parents in urban and rural areas had different aspirations for their girl children. Communities on the whole were willing to institute some measures to promote girls' education. Some of the measures suggested were that communities could form committees to oversee girls' education and educate parents and girls on the importance of girls' education. Communities were also willing to institute awards and scholarships for girls. Finally, suggestions were made which, if implemented, might improve the current Ghanaian situation. The strategies suggested in the research to be used in promoting girls' education include the establishment of girls' education committees in communities with low female enrolment, the use of social/community mobilization campaigns, institution of scholarship schemes, community participation in education, the use of role models and enacting bye-laws to ensure that girls are not discriminated against. The need for further research was also recommended.