Parental Socio-Economic Background And Students’ Academic Performance

Introduction

1.1 Background to the Study

A person’s education is closely linked to their life chances, income, and wellbeing (Battle and Lewis 2002), therefore it is important to have a clear understanding of what benefits or hinders one is educational attainment. Several topical areas are mostly commonly linked to academic performance of student, such as school factors, family factors and peers factors. Generally, academic performance is how well a student an individual achieves a set objectives.
School environment factors such as school size, neighborhood and relationship between teacher and student also influence test score (Crosnoe, Johnson and Elder 2004). Also, family background has been found to influence student’s academic performance and socio-economic statues, parental involvement, and family size are particularly important factors (Majoribanks, 2006). Peer influence can also affects student’s performance in that peer pressure and peer conformity can lead to an individual participating in risk taking behavior which has negative effect on academic performance.

Hunt, 2005 and Miller et al, 2005 define social class as literacy of social order or group more or less hereditary but with provision for movement up and down the ladder, all the class are endowed in unequal degree with right and privilege, obligation degree duties in accordance with their position in the social scales. In the Nigerian society, the social class one belongs depends on the educational level, occupation and environmental factors such as circumstance of birth, thus the home becomes and important socializing agent especially in the important socializing agent especially in the early development of the person’s education (Aguokogbuo 2005). At birth an individuals is totally dependent on his/her parent and others grown-up individual in his/her immediate family for guidance. Man is an embodiment of nature and nurture, nature here means biological inheritance from biological parent while nurture is environmental influences. At birth an individual is firmly rooted in or dependent on the parent for socialization process and such a way, social attitude, value norms etc are captured by the individual. According to Locke as cited in Augokogbuo (2005) a man at birth has no innate ideas but rather his mind is tabula rasa (clean slate) thus the original nature of man is neither good or bad but neutrally. A child becomes whatever the society makes of him.

Education is regarded as an important tool for achieving national objective, it is a venture that every society and individual needs. In line with the April 2000 education for all commitment, the Nigerian government in the National Policy for Education (2004) section I, sub-section c posited that every Nigerian child shall have a right o equal educational opportunities irrespective of any real or imagined disabilities each according to his ability. The Nigeria Education commission popularly referred to as Ominde Commission (RoK, 1964) was mandated with charting a new education policy for the country. One of its mandates was to address the issue of education inequality across the races and regions in the country. The Ominde report identified Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State and North Eastern regions as warranting higher grand allocation, boarding schools and mobile schools as immediate strategies to uplift school participation. A charitable Trust called Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State Life Foundation (OLF) was set up in December 2005 by Gabriel Teo with the objective of assisting the marginalized in this county through education and acquisition of livelihood skills (Gabriel, 2005). According to Gabriel (2005) the main beneficiaries of OLF are: Orphans, children of subsistence farmers, nomadic pastoralists and single parent families without any regular source of income. Despite all incentives and efforts by the Government and NGOs to enhance quality and participations in education, this region still perform dismally in academics.

Harris (2006) posited that for proper social and emotional development, students require a strong and reliable primary care giver who provides unconditional love, guidance and general support. They also require safe, predictable, and stable environment. Children raised from arid regions like Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State are much less likely to have these vital needs met than their counterparts from regions with favorable climatic conditions. Most families in these regions tend to practice pastoralism. This occupation entails moving from place to place in search of greener pastures and water for animals. Parents tend to be overworked; they are overstressed and authoritarian with children and fail to form solid, healthy relationship with their children leading to emotional and social challenges which may translate to poor academic performance (Ahnert & Pinquart, 2006).

Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State continues to exhibit dismal academic attainment despite the Nigerian government commitment to foster quality and equity in education in all counties in the country.

1.2 Statement of the Research Problem

Low socio-economic status or poverty, which forms a specific culture and way of life, is a growing issue in Nigeria, the number of Nigerians living in poverty is continually increasing, poverty indicates the extent to which an individual does without resources. Resources can include financial, emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical resources as well as support systems, relationship, role model and knowledge of hidden rules. Poverty or low socio-economic directly affects academic achievement due to the lack of resources available for student success.
Low achievement is closely correlated with lack of resources, and numerous studies have documented the correlation between low socio-economic status and low achievement. Even in the United States of America (USA) the gaps in achievement among poor and advantage students are substantial (Rowan 2004).

Through multiple studies, the U.S department of education (2001:8) has indicated result that clearly demonstrated that student and school poverty adversely affected student achievement the US department of education (2001) found the following key findings regarding the effect of poverty on student achievement in a study conducted on third through fifth grade student from 71 high poverty schools. The student scored below norms in all years and grades tested, student who lived in poverty scored significantly worse than other students. Schools with the highest percentage of poor student scored significantly worse initially, but close the gap slightly as time progressed. Similar individual studies have found similar results. In his fiscal 2010 budget proposal; President Obama called for neighborhood modeled after the Harlem children’s zone to improve the lives of their children living poverty (Aaron 2009).

The difference in performance has also been found in the United State of America among students whose parent receives welfare or cash income through the aid of families with independent or private source of income. Also in Nigeria, the performance of secondary student in internal and external examination such as West Africa Examination Council (WAEC), NECO etc in the past five to six years have been abysmal and nothing to write home about, this poor performance has been attributed to poor school facilities, lack of school needed material, poor standard of living and poverty. These are the problems that has warrant this research work, in other to know how this challenges can be tackled and lasting solution to be proffered the roles of the family in promoting the academic performance of their children good standard of living for the people, as well as the provision of adequate learning facilities for our schools.

1.3 Purpose of the Study

The class strata in Nigerian society based on socio- economic ground have become common phenomena. There is unequal distribution of wealth (resources) among citizens. Thus there arise the educated and the illiterate poverty stricken masses. This study therefore considered the influence of those stratified classes on student’s academic performance. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of parental socioeconomic background on students’ academic performance in public secondary schools in Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State.

1.4 Objectives of the Study

The objectives of the study were as follows:

1.4.1 Main Objective

The main objective of the study was to determine the influence of parents’ socioeconomic background on students’ academic performance in public secondary schools in Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State.

1.4.2 Specific Objectives

In order to achieve the main objective the study aimed at achieving the following specific objectives:

To determine the influence of parents’ income on students’ academic performance in public secondary schools in Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State.

To examine the extent to which parents’ level of education influences students’ academic performance in public secondary schools in Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State.

To establish the level to which parents’ occupation influences students’ academic performance in public secondary schools in Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State.

To determine the extent to which parental involvement in education influences students’ academic performance in public secondary schools in Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State.

1.5 Research Questions

1.5.1 Main Research Question

To what extent does parents’ socio-economic background influence students’ academic performance in public secondary schools in Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State?

1.5.2 Specific Research Questions

The study was guided by the following research questions:

To what extent does parents’ income influence students’ academic performance in public secondary schools?

How does parents’ level of education influence students’ academic performance in public secondary schools?

How does parents’ occupation influence students’ academic performance in public secondary schools?

How does parental involvement in education influence students’ academic performance in public secondary schools?

1.6 Significance of the Study

The study will be of significance to the parents, teachers and educational researchers because the information collected by the researcher will actually contribute to their general understanding of the influence of parental socio-economic background on students’ academic performance. The Ministry of Education and policy makers in education sector may also use the findings in this study to address the problem of poor academic performance in Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State.

This study will also contribute to the body of knowledge in general by providing direction to future researchers who may wish to further their investigation on similar topic. Through this study, religious organizations and nongovernmental organizations will understand the influence of parents’ socio-economic background on students’ educational success and thus obtain appropriate knowledge on how best to contribute/participate in education sector.

1.7 Limitations of the Study

The main limitation of this study was transportation problems due to poor road network system and long distance from one school to another in the locale of study. Therefore, the study was limited to the areas that are easily accessible. This is because it would be very expensive for the researcher to access the really hard to reach areas.
Another limitation for this study was difficulty in separating objective responses from subjective ones especially on the sensitive issue touching on parents’ income level. The researcher overcame this limitation by assuring parents that the information given would only be used for academic purpose and also ensured that they were interviewed separately.

1.8 Delimitations of the Study

According to Dusick (2011) delimitations are those characteristics selected by the researcher to define the boundaries of the study. They involve what to be included and those not to be included in the study.

The study only looked at the influence of parental socio- economic background on students’ academic performance in public secondary schools and not private ones. The study covered the performance of senior secondary school in Ojo local government area and look at the effect of parental status on their academic performance. Hence, research will be restricted to secondary schools in Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State.

1.9 Definition of Significant Terms

Socio- Economic Background:

This refers to individual’s/group’s demographic, social and economic position in relation to others. In this study, socio-economic background was measured in terms of parents’ level of income, level of education, and occupational status.

Occupation:

Is an activity that serves as one’s regular source of livelihood. In this study, occupation was measured in terms of parents’ work content, occupational prestige (formal or informal occupation), occupational class and occupation as an indicator of education/skills and income.

Level of Education:

This means the stage one reached educationally from primary level, secondary level, tertiary level/ college or university stage.

Academic Performance:

Is the outcome of the students after assessments. This study measured academic performance basing on the average grades scored by students in exams (whether A, B, C, D or grade E).

Education:

Is the act or process of imparting or acquiring particular knowledge or skills, especially at a school, college, or university. In this study education was measured through the analysis of data such as scores/grades obtained from educational assessments to infer the abilities and proficiencies of students.

Income:

This refers to the monetary payment received for goods or services, or from other sources, as rents or investment. In this study income level was measured basing on the total monetary payments of parents’ goods or services, rents or other investments. Parental involvement in education: This refers to the amount of participation a parent has when it comes to schooling and her child’s life. In this study parental involvement in education was measured in terms of: Parent-teacher communication, parents’ visits to school, parental supervision of students’ educational progress, assistance of students with assignments at home and parental participation in school meetings.