A Preliminary Survey of Factors Precipitating Male Achievement: A Bahamian Perspective

Male underachievement has received considerable attention in recent years. It is of particular concern in The Bahamas given the overrepresentation of females at the tertiary level of education. This pilot study was designed in conjunction with Kent State University and is one component of a larger project that includes subjects in the USA. The goal was to explore the factors that are believed to influence male achievement present at the primary school level. Some of the factors include personal perception, parental involvement, teaching style, the structure of schools, lack of male role models and socio-economic factors. Structured interviewing techniques were used to gather data from a sample of Bahamian males from grades 3, 4 and 5, their parents and teachers. Results indicate male students have a positive attitude toward school and report encouragement and support from their families. Teachers tended to have a discrepant view of parental involvement. A strong female familial influence is apparent. Additional research is recommended focusing on males at different levels of education and investigating the discrepancies between potential and achievement.