شبكة المعلومات العربية التربوية

The aim of this exploratory study is to examine the role of parents in determining their children’s future in stream selection. Then, it seeks to find out the extent to which the parents’ educational level can influence their children’s academic path, the differences between genders and the significant differences between the secondary school streams of science/technology and letters. The study isperformed on a random sample consisting of 134 male and female pupils belonging to the specified streams at El Hadj Mohamed Ben El Hadj Aissa secondary school, Ouargla, Algeria. In order to answer the research questions, frequencies (percentages) have been computed to examine the significant differences between the various samples of pupils, distinguished according to parents’ educational level, school stream and pupil’s gender. The findings, constituting a clear answer to the research questions, revealed the following: 1) Parents have a positive role in determining their children’s path in stream selection. This is shown through the positive results obtained in the first term summative examinations by the pupils who sought guidance from their parents in stream selection and who are satisfied with their stream, which they think is suitable to their aptitudes and tendencies. 2) The parents’ educational level has a significant impact on determining their children’s academic path in stream selection. This is induced from the percentage of pupilswho had acceptable positive results and whose parents have high educational levels; that is, higher than secondary school levels. 3) The role of parents in determining their children’s academic path differs according to the pupils’ gender. 4) The role of parents in determining their children’s academic path differs according to the pupils’ stream. (Published Abstract)