THE INFLUENCE OF INFORMAL EDUCATION ON THE FORMAL EDUCATION OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE BUEA MUNICIPALITY SOUTH WEST REGION OF CAMEROON

ABSTRACT

This study purposed to investigate the influence of informal education on the formal education of secondary school students in the Buea Municipality. Three objectives were used in the study namely; to investigate the influence of the home on the formal education of secondary school students in the Buea Municipality, to investigate the influence of peer groups on the formal education of secondary school students in the Buea Municipality and to find out the influence of the neighbourhood of students on their formal education. These objectives were later transformed into questions and hypotheses. The study used a quantitative research method where the descriptive survey design was adopted. The population of the study was made of all secondary schools in the Buea Municipality. The target population in this study was students in form 3,4 and 5 in the Buea Municipality. The schools where the samples was from are NABESK comprehensive college and GHS Great Soppo where 60 questionnaires were administered in the ratio of 25:35. Based on findings and conclusions, it was recommended that the formal education agencies like schools should work hand in hand with the family and community of the student to be able to boost students’ academic performance and behaviours as well as habits. Again it is clear that more research needs to be done using a larger sample size and using other variables and indicators. If possible other regions and schools should be targeted to make the research more inclusive.

Key words: Informal education, formal education, the home, peer group, and neighbourhood.