April 2022 Vol.10 No.2

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Achou SG

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Original Research Article

Dynamics of Parental Perception on Gender Disparities and Girl-Child Participation in Post-Primary Education: The Case of Secondary Schools in Priority Education Zones of Cameroon

Song Gerald Achou

PhD Fellow, Doctorate Unit Man and the Society, Post Graduate School, University of Maroua, Cameroon.

E-mail: songgeraldachou@yahoo.com

Received: 25 February 2022    I    Accepted: 28 March 2022    I    Published: 20 April 2022    I    Article ID: MRJER22006
Copyright © 2022 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article.
This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0.

Abstract

Gender disparity in post-primary education is a global issue in developing countries and particularly, it is a cause for concern in Cameroon. Promoting girl-child participation in post-primary education largely depend on parental perception on gender disparities. There is compelling evidence that parental perception on gender disparity significantly impact girls’ participation in post-primary education. The purpose of present study was to analyse and identify the impact of parental perception on gender disparity and girl-child participation in post-primary education in Priority Education Zones of Cameroon. A conceptual framework which encompasses the major variables and their influence on girl-child education was developed. In order to dwell on this, the study reviewed literature based on six specific objectives namely; parenting practices towards girl-child education, parenting styles on girl-child education, parents’ skeptical behaviour on girl-child education, parents’ stereotype socio-cultural beliefs, as well as parents’ educational background and parents socio-economic/professional status which significantly impact girls’ participation in post-primary education. In respect to this study, we examined Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, Abraham Maslow’s theory of hierarchical needs, Ruth Pearson’s gender relation theory, Thomas Aquinas ‘natural law theory and John Rawl’s social justice theory. These theories do bring out ideas and opinions on how to organize, predict and explain facts on human behavior, human growth and personal development. Descriptive research design was used for the study. The population for the study was public secondary schools in Priority Education Zones of Cameroon. The target population for the study was only for girl-students and their parents. Systematic random sampling technique was used to sample the schools and the respondents for the study. A total of 64 schools were sampled for the study in nineteen divisions found in these Priority Education Zones of Cameroon. A total of 625 respondents were targeted and 50 parents interviewed. Questionnaires and interview guide were used as instruments for data collection. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics while content analysis technique was used to analyse the interview guides. Microsoft Excel and Statistical Package for Social Studies (SPSS) was used to analyse the quantitative data. In this case, The Simple Linear Regression was employed to explore whether there was a significant relationship between parental perception on gender disparity and girls’ participation in post-primary education. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages were used to describe the data. The results obtained from the findings revealed that parental perception on gender disparity significantly affects girls’ participation in post-primary education. Based on the discussions, conclusion drawn and suggestions made on ways of bringing education to the doorstep of the girl-child in Priority Education Zones of Cameroon. It is hoped that the findings of this present study will provide a body of literature that will help parents, teachers, policy makers and other educational stakeholder in education sector to mitigate parental misconception towards girls’ education. It was also recommended that parents should be sensitise and learn about how they could overcome the barriers that hinder girls’ education. Girls should be given legal support which will enable them have equal access as boys to education.

Keywords: Girls’ education, Parenting, Parental perception, Parenting practices, Parenting styles, Post-primary education