Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to identify factors that are responsible for the low academic achievement of pupils in Kemp Methodist Junior High School at Aburi in the Eastern region of Ghana. To identify these factors, comparison was made with a high achieving school within the same Municipal area. Through this, the study has been able to establish issues that are particular to Kemp Methodist Junior High School. These factors attributed to teachers, school environmental, parents and the pupils were primarily responsible for the low academic achievement of the pupils. The school environmental factors identified include limited number of teachers with high academic qualification, inadequate teaching and learning materials, and misuse of contact hours with pupils. The teacher factors that were found to contribute to the low academic performance were incidences of lateness to school and absenteeism, inability to complete the syllabi and inadequate homework assigned to pupils. The pupil characteristics found significant were incidences of lateness to school and absenteeism, lack of assistance with studies at home and use of local language in the classroom. Home conditions or parental support variables causing pupils to perform poorly academically were their inability to provide textbooks and supplementary readers, low level of interaction with children‟s teachers, and low involvement in the Parent Teacher Association. The study has practical significance as it sheds light on the factors affecting the low academic performance of pupils in Kemp Methodist Junior High School and for decision making to improve their academic performance. It was recommended among others that there is the need to improve parents‟ attitudes, intensify supervision of teachers and institute incentive packages, sensitise and motivate the pupils, recognise individual differences in education and encourage guidance and counseling services for pupils.
