Perceived Parental Involvement in School Activities in Secondary Schools in South-East Nigeria

Aims: The study ascertained perceived parental involvement in school activities in secondary schools in South-east Nigeria.

Study design: Descriptive survey research design.

Place and duration of study: Secondary school students in South-east Nigeria, between 2019/2020.

Methodology: The study used simple random sampling technique to draw 520 (200 male and 320 female) senior secondary school II students from the total population. Specifically, the toss of die type of simple random sampling was used to draw the sample. The instrument for data collection is a structured questionnaire titled “Students perception on the extent of parental involvement in school activities questionnaire (SPEPISAQ)”. The reliability of the instrument and internal consistency of the questionnaire items were established using Cronbach Alpha statistics which yield an overall reliability coefficient of 0.88, indicating a high-level reliability of the items in the instrument. Data collected were analysed using mean and standard deviation (for research questions). The t-test statistics was used to test the hypotheses raised. The item analysis was based on real limit of numbers ranging from 1.00-1.49 (very low extent) to 3.50-4.00 (very high extent), and the decision rule for the null hypotheses was thus; do not reject the null hypotheses if the significant value is greater than the p-value, otherwise reject the null hypotheses if the calculated value is less than the p-value at 0.05.

Results: A grand mean of 3.14 which indicates that students’ perception on the extent of parental involvement in debate activities is to high extent. The standard deviation score ranges from 0.66 – 1.01, this shows that students are heterogeneous in their rating. The data analysis revealed that the significant value is greater than the alpha value (Sig. value = 1.021, P value=0.05), hence, the extent of parental involvement in debate activities in secondary schools is not statistically significant based on gender. The results further revealed a grand mean of 3.16 which indicates that students’ perception on the extent of parental involvement in school publication activities is to a high extent. The standard deviation score ranges from 0.59 – 1.11, this shows that students are heterogeneous in their response. The corresponding hypothesis tested revealed that the significant value is greater than the alpha value (Sig. value = 0.006, P value=0.05). This goes to show that the extent of parental involvement in school publication in secondary schools is not statistically significant based on gender. More so, the analysis resulted with a grand mean of 2.12 which indicates that students’ perception on the extent of parental involvement in school club activities is to a low extent. The standard deviation scores range from 0.49 – 0.94, this shows that students are homogeneous in their response. The result further showed that the significant value is less than the alpha value (Sig. value = 0.002, P value=0.05). this goes to show that the extent of parental involvement in school club activities in secondary schools is not statistically significant based on gender.

Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study it was concluded that, students’ perception on the extent of parental involvement in debate activities is to high extent, the extent of parental involvement in school publication activities is to a high extent, the extent of parental involvement in school club activities is to a low extent. The extent of parental involvement in school publication in secondary schools is not statistically significant, Also, the extent of parental involvement in debate activities in secondary schools is not statistically significant. Finally, the extent of parental involvement in school club activities in secondary schools is not statistically significant based on gender.