The Influence of Socio-Economic Factors of Parents on Children’s Access to Secondary Education
Chapter One
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study is to find out the influence of socio-economic status of parent in the secondary education access of students in Ohuzara local Government area of Ebonyi state specifically, the study sought to;
- To find out the employability of students’ parents in Ohuzara L.G.A of Ebonyi State.
- To find out the educational attainment level of parents in Ohuzara L.G.A of Ebonyi State.
- To determine the social status of parents in Ohuzara L.G.A of Ebonyi State.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Conceptual Framework
Concept of Home Environment
The study of the influence of the home, on the education of secondary school children, has called for the knowledge of the opinion of other eminent people that concerned them with the education and welfare of the child. It is with this understanding that the researcher has devoted part of this chapter to a review of some related work on the education of secondary school children.
Hughes (2013) said that; in studying children we must never lose sight of the importance of environment. Not only the physical environment but also the social environments created by the parents round-about them. The quick subtle changes in the social-economic environment emphasize the need to make an estimate of the children ability or character, considering his environment and behavior in verity of circumstances. He appealed to parents to create time for the family. But he frowned at the situation where by parents refuse to make adequate adjustments. After all, the child relates more to the family then all those other institutions.
Parents should make materials and time allowance to the family, knowing full well that the children would be the leaders of tomorrow. The author showed that the child has two things to gain from education. There is, in the first place, the need for the acquisition of knowledge just to be free from ignorance which entails the understanding of the individual’s environment. The second aspect is the practical aspect of education that has to do with the practical application of the knowledge gained and the use of the skills for the betterment of the society.
According to Ebuoh (2011) who asserted that education make the people to be discontented with the social milieu. The Implication is that once the educated gets dissatisfied with the situation obtainable in his environment, the person would begin to think of way of enhancing the right pattern for the benefit of everybody.
According to Ezeh (2008), The children are taught how to behave in the society, to respect their parents, their elders and the habit of self-respect and the respect of other people’s right in the society and learn to live peacefully with people from divergent ethnic groups and multi religious backgrounds.
This is the mission which education plays as it main roles in the character formation in the children. This confirms the popular belief that education permits, and paves ground for the children to know their social, legal, economic and religious obligations. According to Ofoegbu (2006)” Education enhances self-preservations; the concept of self-preservation seems to entail the equipment of oneself against certain odds and uncertainties that may arise with the tone of event. Such event like business failure and hazards are easily handled when the individual has basic educational background.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This chapter describes the procedures that was adopted in the product of the study under the following sub-heading: design of the study, area of study, population of study, sample and sampling technique, instrument for data collection, validation of the instrument, method of data collection, method of data analysis and decision rule.
Design of the study
The study adopted a descriptive survey design geared at finding out the Influence of parents’ socio economic status on their children’s access to secondary education in secondary school in Ohuzara local government area of Ebonyi State.
The researcher therefore applied questionnaire to obtain necessary information.
Population of the Study
The population of this study was made up of ten (10) secondary schools in Ohuzara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. The total population of the respondents was 2000. The sample for the population was put at 100. A simple random sampling technique was employed in choosing the population representing the study. This is to ensure that every element in the population has a non-zero chance of being selected.
CHAPTER FOUR
ANALYSIS OF DATA AND RESULTS
The researcher presented and analyses the findings of the research study which was conducted in line with the research questions proposed in chapter one:
CHAPTER FIVE
DISCUSSIONS, IMPLICATION, RECOMMENDATIONS, CONCLUSION AND SUMMARY OF THE FINDING
Discussion of the Result
From the responses on the research question one which asked to find the employability of students parents in Ohuara local Government Area of Ebonyi State. The researcher used questionnaire item 1-3 to answer the question, it is observed that children from parents with high socio-economic status tend to have a sound education. Because they have the opportunity and privilege. They have all it takes to achieve a better education in life. In table 1-III, 242 respondents strongly agreed and agreed to the questions while 58 respondents strongly disagreed and disagreed to the question.
Research question 2 asked, to what extent does the Educational attainment level of parents in Ohuzara influence the secondary education access of their children. The researcher used questionnaire item 4-6 to answer the question. The researcher observed that children from less socio-economic status are far better in their performance in school when compared to children from high socio-economic status. Though they are not rich, but they tend to be more focused. In table IV-VI, 153 respondents strongly agree and agreed that children from less socio-economic status are better than their counterparts whereas 147 respondents strongly disagreed. From the research question three which asked how the Social Status of parent’s influences their children’s academic performance in school. The researcher used questionnaire item -7-9 to answer the question. It was observed that high income level of parents sometimes has negative influence on their children’s academic performance. In table VII-IX, 175 respondents agreed that high income level of parents sometime has negative influence on the children’s performance while 125 respondents disagreed.
Conclusions
From the discussions made so far, it is clearly shown that secondary school students in Ohuzara local government Area of Ebonyi State means that home is the socialization agency the child encounters after birth. The child naturally arrives into a home to a condition which he is absolute incapable of helpings himself. His immediate fate depends on the members of family for the survival of the child; providence has built into the parents an imminent affection for the offspring which motivates them to do, within the limits of their ability, whatever they think is best for the child.
Implication of the Study
Some educational implications could be inferred from this study based on the result of the data analysis, interpretation and discussion.
The study showed that the education of the child starts in the home by parents and then extends and continues in the larger society. As birth everyone possesses a set of aptitudes and qualities which must be developed and brought to fruition. For these natural endowments, they come into maturity. Several factors are pre-supposed not the least among these factors is the instruction (education received at home by parents). The study further implied that it is on the foundation laid by the home that the school and the society build up.
Recommendations
The researcher recommends a ministry of children affaires that will look into the welfare of children and their performance in academic. Furthermore, parents who are separated should for the sake of their children come together and train the children in a right manner. The recommended further studies will be on:
- Home education problems and prospects
- The place of parents on academic performance of child.
- The influence of home in academic performance of the child in Ohuzara Local Government of Ebonyi State.
Summary of the Findings
From this, the researcher highlighted the objectives of the study which enables some contribution of authors on the topic to be revealed. In the chapter two, the methods used in carrying out the study were briefly stated. This enabled the researcher to collect the data that were analysed in chapter three. The result of the data analysis was discussed in chapter four. The result revealed the influence of socio economic status of parents on the secondary education access of their children. Its courses and prevention especially in Ohuzara metropolis.
The research result revealed that secondary school students in Ohuzara have just little knowledge about socio economic status of their parents towards their academic. Although some said;
- Home influence is very strong in the training of a child.
- An academic environment facilitates a child’s education
- School and teachers help to train and mould a child academic performance.
- Parents engineers’ a child’s academic performance
- The future career of the child is guided by the home
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