International Journal of Research and Innovation in Applied Science (IJRIAS) | Volume VII, Issue VI, June 2022 | ISSN 2454–6194

Influence of Single Parenting on the Education of Junior High School Students of Effiduase in the New Juaben North Municipality

Derrick Nii Quarcoopome Sackey¹, Albert Bekoe Mensah², Paul Williams Obeng^3
1Department of Social Sciences, SDA College of Education, Koforidua, Ghana
²Department of Languages, SDA College of Education, Koforidua, Ghana
³Department of Social Sciences, SDA College of Education, Koforidua, Ghana

Abstract: This study was conducted to investigate the influence of single parenting on the education of junior high school students of Effiduase in the New Juaben North Municipality of the Eastern Region of Ghana. The stratified random sampling technique was used to sample one hundred and eighty students from three junior high schools for the study. A close-ended questionnaire was used to gather data from the respondents sampled for the study. Data were analysed using frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviation. Based on the findings of the study, it is concluded that the causes of single parenting at Effiduase in the New Juaben North Municipality include death of parent, and separation. Also, the study concluded that the challenges students from single parenting families encounter include students do not easily socialize in the classroom and they exhibit signs of low self-esteem. In addition, the study concluded that the effect of single parenting on the education of junior high school students include students were frequently absent from school and hence, they scored low marks in class exercises. The study recommends that stakeholders of education including teachers, parents, and opinion leaders at Effiduase in the New Juaben North Municipality need to put in place appropriate mechanisms to reduce separation, desertion, and unplanned pregnancy which are rampant in the Effiduase Community. Also, teachers and parents should solicit the assistance of philanthropists in the Effiduase Community to come to the aid of brilliant but needy students from single parent families.

Keywords: Single parenting family, Intact family, Students

I.INTRODUCTION

Until quite recently, single parenting was considered foreign to African family culture and even where it existed, it was ignored as exceptional phenomenon (Azuka-Obieke, 2013). However, the aggressive influence of western culture has impacted so much on African traditional family values. Consequently, single parenting which hitherto was considered a deviation is now gaining societal acceptance but not without its negative tendencies. Modern culture has changed and outgrown the values and beliefs that were thought to be the core beliefs and values of the African society. Moralists and conservatives are experiencing disgust over the currently evolving belief and cultural systems because what has been unacceptable in the olden days, is now fast becoming a rapidly rising trend. The phenomenon of