Abstract:
This study examined the effects of single parenting on the academic performance of
Senior High School students in the Asante Bekwai Municipality. The purpose was to
explore how parental structure influences students’ academic outcomes and to identify
the challenges and coping strategies of students from single-parent households. A
quantitative descriptive design was employed, using a structured questionnaire to
collect data from 360 respondents selected through stratified, purposive, and simple
random sampling techniques. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics such as
frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations with the aid of SPSS. The
findings revealed that single parents in the municipality showed a moderate to high
level of involvement in their children’s education, particularly in monitoring progress
and communicating with teachers. However, inconsistencies existed in providing
learning materials and assisting with homework due to financial and time constraints.
Single parenting was found to significantly affect students’ academic performance,
with financial hardship, emotional stress, and household responsibilities reducing
study time and concentration. Despite these challenges, students adopted effective
coping strategies, including self-motivation, peer collaboration, and teacher
engagement. The study recommended targeted support systems, including parental
workshops, counselling, and mentorship programmes, to improve academic
performance of single-parent students.
Description:
A project work submitted to the School of Graduate Studies
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the degree of
Post Graduate Diploma in Education
(Education)
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATIONS,
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION AND LIFE-LONG LEARNING,
UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA
NOVEMBER, 2025
