Impact of Parental Involvement on Students’ Mathematics Achievement in Senior Schools, West Coast Region, The Gambia.

Abstract

Mathematics is essential for both individual and societal development, making its inclusion in the education curriculum critical. This research investigates the impact of parental involvement on students’ mathematics success in senior secondary schools within the West Coast Region of The Gambia. Specifically, it determine the extent of parental participation in their children's mathematics learning; assess gender differences in academic achievement and students' perceptions of parental involvement and examine the link between parental involvement and students' academic performance in mathematics at the senior school.

 The research utilized a descriptive survey design, employing a multistage sampling method to select 300 respondents from five senior secondary schools. Three research questions were formulated and assessed using two research instruments: Students’ Mathematics Achievement Test (SMAT) and Students’ Questionnaire (SQ), with reliability coefficients of 0.61 and 0.76, respectively. Data were analysed using mean scores, t-test, and Pearson Product Moment Correlation. Findings uncovered that parental involvement in students’ mathematics achievement is generally low, with an overall mean score of 2.45. Additionally, the study identified a significant gender difference in students’ mathematics achievement (t = 3.885, P = 0.00 < 0.05). However, There was no notable difference between male and female students in how they perceived their parents' involvement in their academic success (t = 0.869, P = 0.386 > 0.05). Furthermore, the correlation analysis indicated that parental participation and students’ mathematics achievement were not significantly related (r = 0.032, P = 0.584 > 0.05). Based on these findings, the study recommends that parents should be sensitized on the significance of mathematics in their children’s academic and career success. Increasing parental engagement may motivate students to advance a more positive mentality toward learning mathematics, ultimately improving their performance.