Family Background and Its Influence on the Child Academic Performance in School
Chapter One
Purpose of the study
The purpose of the study is;
- To ascertain whether the level of education of parents influence on the academic performance of the pupils
- To ascertain whether the socio-economic status of parents influence the pupil’s performance academically
- To ascertain whether the family structure in terms of monogamy and polygamy influence the academic achievement of pupils
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
CONCEPT OF FAMILY
Family has been described at the smallest, most personal and not intimate of social groups. It is the most important primary group and the smallest social unit in the society. Odo (1990:10) defined family as “a social group sharing a common residence and cooperating economically”. The author went further to assert that the institutions of the family is usually based on the marriage of one or more sexually co-habiting couples and usually there is the expectation of having children for whom the adults of the family accept responsibility. Alio (1995) observed that the family is also the most personal social organization, for nothing is more personal than the interaction and relationship between members of a family. He further said that married couple without children, though bound by the strongest personal ties does not constitute a family for such ties can conceivably exist among couples who are not married. For him, what gives a family its character are children, for only in such a family can that intimate, personal relationship be established by which the family can perform its functions of rearing, protecting and educating the children, transmitting to them the social values it has inherited and a special bond between all the members. This kind of family setting is similar to the Nigerian traditional idea of family. Traditionally, it is believed that it is the children that cement the union of a man and a woman together and makes it a lasting and a intimate one. The primary aim of this union is procreation. Family can be classified into nuclear and extended form. Nuclear family is basic form of family organization. It is made up of the father (husband), mother (wife) and children. The children may be the biological offspring; of the couple or/and the adopted members of the family. According to Okafor (1992), the adoption of a child into the family is a common culture in the British society, but less so in Nigerian society. He added that nuclear family is found common among the urban city elites in Nigerian society or as a component in both extended, nuclear and compound family in Nigerian rural areas. The author maintained that one of the characteristics of the nuclear family is that is tends to break up when the children marry, when the parents die or at any point in human cycle. According to him, the male raised in a nuclear family usually begins his life in house hold headed by his parents and concluded his life in a family that he himself heads. Extended family is the type of family that comprises of the father (husband) his wife (mother), their children, the husbands and the wife’s relations etc. Alio (1995) pointed out that the extended system is a dispersal version of the joint family and the members of the constituent groups do not all live together in one dwelling. To him, the extended kin-group includes a span of three or four generations within the total household or closely adjacent households. The extended family system is commonly a characteristics of most African society. Many Nigerian societies do not believe in nuclear family but in modern times, urbanization and economic pressures are discouraging extended family ties. However, extended family system is the popular and most common type of family arrangement in the Nigerian society. Anybody who fails to practice or show interest in the extended relations is regarded as a wicked and hopeless human being by members of the society.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
In this chapter, we described the research procedure for this study. A research methodology is a research process adopted or employed to systematically and scientifically present the results of a study to the research audience viz. a vis, the study beneficiaries.
RESEARCH DESIGN
Research designs are perceived to be an overall strategy adopted by the researcher whereby different components of the study are integrated in a logical manner to effectively address a research problem. In this study, the researcher employed the survey research design. This is due to the nature of the study whereby the opinion and views of people are sampled. According to Singleton & Straits, (2009), Survey research can use quantitative research strategies (e.g., using questionnaires with numerically rated items), qualitative research strategies (e.g., using open-ended questions), or both strategies (i.e., mixed methods). As it is often used to describe and explore human behaviour, surveys are therefore frequently used in social and psychological research.
POPULATION OF THE STUDY
According to Udoyen (2019), a study population is a group of elements or individuals as the case may be, who share similar characteristics. These similar features can include location, gender, age, sex or specific interest. The emphasis on study population is that it constitutes of individuals or elements that are homogeneous in description.
This study was carried to examine the family background and it’s influence on the child academic performance in school. Selected primaries schools in Edo State forms the population of the study.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
INTRODUCTION
This chapter presents the analysis of data derived through the questionnaire and key informant interview administered on the respondents in the study area. The analysis and interpretation were derived from the findings of the study. The data analysis depicts the simple frequency and percentage of the respondents as well as interpretation of the information gathered. A total of eighty (80) questionnaires were administered to respondents of which only seventy-seven (77) were returned and validated. This was due to irregular, incomplete and inappropriate responses to some questionnaire. For this study a total of 77 was validated for the analysis.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was to ascertain Family background and it’s influence on the child academic performance in school. In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing the challenges of Family background and it’s influence on the child academic performance in school
Summary
This study was on Family background and it’s influence on the child academic performance in school. Three objectives were raised which included; To ascertain whether the level of education of parent’s influence on the academic performance of the pupils, to ascertain whether the socio-economic status of parents influence the pupil’s performance academically and to ascertain whether the family structure in terms of monogamy and polygamy influence the academic achievement of pupils. A total of 77 responses were received and validated from the enrolled participants where all respondents were drawn from selected primaries schools in Edo State. Hypothesis was tested using Chi-Square statistical tool (SPSS).
Conclusion
The study found out that a single parenthood had a negative relationship with academic performance and families quality functions had a very supportive achievement on the children’s academic performance both scholastic educational attainment and other healthy related issues. On the issue of parental educational level is was concluded that the level of education of parents had an impact on their children’s academic performance. It was also concluded that the educational level of parent had a consistent direct relationship on the children’s cognitive and behavioural outcomes. On family financial situation if was concluded that there is a direct relationship between parental financial and human capital on the successful learning experience of their children and their academic success and equally low income of parents had a negative academic performance expectations on their children. On matters of family size it was concluded that in most big families the size of the family had no relationship with the academic performance of their children but on the other hand it was revealed that children from large families were found to perform poorly in schools than children from small families.
Recommendation
In view of the findings discussed in this study, the following recommendations were made.
- The researcher recommended that the families should be structured on a functionality level to avoid single parenthood if academic performance has to be achieved.
- The researcher also recommended that for children to attain academic achievement the family should have stable income from whatever source.
- The researcher recommended that parents should endeavour to be also academically sound if they have to influence their children’s academic performance.
- The researcher also recommended that a family size should also be average size if the parents have to meet all the basics of their children if the children have to achieve academically
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