Democratic Idealism to Practical Reality: Examining Senior High School Students’ Perceived Challenges Toward Political Participation in the Cape Coast Metropolis of Ghana

Abstract

This study examined the transition from democratic idealism to practical reality by exploring senior high school students’ perceived challenges toward political participation in the Cape Coast Metropolis of Ghana. The study adopted a descriptive cross-sectional survey design and employed stratified sampling techniques to select 400 respondents from selected senior high schools within the metropolis. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics, including means and standard deviations, as well as inferential statistics through one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The findings revealed that students encountered several challenges that constrained their active involvement in political participation. Key challenges identified included fear of rejection and victimization, insults, discrimination, political exclusion, exploitation, intimidation, and political violence, all of which negatively influenced students’ willingness to engage in democratic activities. Despite these challenges, the study found no statistically significant differences in students’ understanding of political participation based on age and grade level (form), indicating relatively similar levels of political awareness across demographic categories. The study concludes that sociopolitical barriers continue to undermine youth political engagement despite increasing democratic awareness among students. The study therefore recommends the inclusion of students in school and community decision-making processes to strengthen democratic consciousness, civic competence, and meaningful political participation among young people in Ghana.