Examining Factors That Influence Gender on Choosing Home Economics Option: A Case in Ekumfi District, Central Region of Ghana

Abstract

It is the desire of every government to ensure effective and quality education for all citizens of the nation to meet the manpower requirement.  In Ghanaian schools, educating the Ghanaian youths is in two dimensions, liberal education and vocational/technical education. Vocation education is that type of education designed to prepare skilled personnel at lower level of qualification for one or groups of occupations, trades or jobs. Succeeding Government from the colonial era through pre-independence era, to post-independence era had proclaimed of ensuring improvement and expansion of vocational education. They claim that vocation education is very important to shape the trainees into effective leaders of tomorrow. Hitherto, vocational subjects were regarded as female domain programmes as such male students normally shun vocational programmes.

Of late, a good number of male students opt for Home Economics as an option subject of study for their final examinations. Choosing programmes is at times influenced by many factors. Some researchers are of the view that gender position present in Ghanaian homes and the society's culture at large influence the practice of choosing home economics education in the Ghanaian Schools. The attitudes of some parents towards the teaching and learning of Home Economics influence the choice of the subjects. There are cases where some parents impose their post-independence preferred subjects for their wards particularly at the Junior High School and SHS levels. The aim of the study was to find out whether culture and parental control actually influence students' choice of programmes in schools and colleges. The researchers used Quantitative techniques as a method for the study. The instrument used for data collection was questionnaire administered to the students to solicit their responses. The researchers conducted this study in two Senior High Schools (SHS) in Ekumfi District in the Central Region of Ghana. Sixty (60) respondents were selected from each of the SHS making a total of 120 respondents. The results revealed that, culture and external factors influences students in choosing Home Economics as an optional subject. It further revealed that, the perceptions and beliefs of students also influence students' attitudes in choosing Home Economics as an optional subject. Finally, expensive nature of home economic practical work also poses a challenge to both parents and students.