Motivation and Career Aspirations of Female Students Studying Science at Achimota School in Accra, Ghana

• Published in: Educational research and reviews Vol. 7; no. 19; pp. 401 - 409
• Main Authors: Andoh, Paul K, Bosiakoh, Thomas Antwi, Afranie, Stephen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Academic Journals 11-07-2012
• Subjects: Academic Aspiration; Educational Attainment; Educational Facilities; Females; Foreign Countries; Ghana; High School Students; High Schools; Occupational Aspiration; Parent Background; Parent Influence; Parents; Science Careers; Science Instruction; Science Teachers; Student Interests; Student Motivation; Surveys; Teacher Influence; Womens Education; Ghana
• ISSN: 1990-3839; 1990-3839
• DOI: 10.5897/ERR11.164

This paper examines science education for girls in Achimota School, a second cycle institution in Accra, in terms of their motivations for pursuing science and future aspirations. It explores parental backgrounds and how they impacted on the motivations and aspirations of the girls. The survey method was adopted in this study, which involved a sample of 65 girls in the first and second years. The analysis of data revealed among others, that most of the respondents had educated parent(s), some of whom had science background. However, whereas, parents and for that matter family relations provided a source of motivation to pursue science at Senior High School (SHS), other important sources of motivation are self and teachers. The study however found that girls who intend to pursue science beyond SHS are not necessarily those whose parents studied science and that given the opportunity girls can pursue science to realize their career goals. To this extent, the paper recommends among others, that there should be provision of adequate facilities for the teaching of science in Senior High Schools. This will ensure that Science Teachers are better able to make the teaching of science as practical as possible in order to sustain the interest of students in general and female students in particular. (Contains 7 tables and 4 online resources.)