THE IMPACT OF PARENTAL MOTIVATION ON STUDENT ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN TWO CONTRASTING SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN RIVERS STATE

THE IMPACT OF PARENTAL MOTIVATION ON STUDENT ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN TWO CONTRASTING SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN RIVERS STATE

CHAPITER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 THE STUDY’S BACKGROUND

Theoretical ideas on motivation are used to explain behavior. It illustrates the causes of people’s actions, objectives, and desires. Chandra (2013) asserts that academic desire has a significant effect on academic learning. Insufficient study materials, a poor learning environment, and a shortage of qualified subject teachers in the field of government education, according to Antoine (2015), may put at risk or limit students who are not academically strong. Additionally, he urged pupils to be intellectually driven because doing so will help to address the majority of systemic issues in education and enhance students’ academic performance (Amponsah, Milledzi, Twum Ampofo, & Gyambrah, 2018).

Parental involvement and motivation in children’s academic achievement has caught the attention of many educators and researchers in the field of education around the world. Parental motivation and involvement, for instance, was developed in the USA as a program to encourage low-income kindergarten and first-graders to complete their mandatory schooling. Its implementation had excellent results by educating parents on how to help their kids with homework in order to advance their academic progress. Being capable in education, initiatives to encourage parental involvement in schools have had fruitful outcomes. Children become more devoted and interested when their parents encourage them (Chandra, 2013). Therefore, it is ideal for educators to ensure that any issues that are thought to prevent parental participation are resolved, especially in senior secondary schools where students’ academic achievement is now declining.

The process through which people are compelled to improve their behavior or performance due to internal (intrinsic) or external (extrinsic) causes is known as motivation. Student motivation is thought to reduce, if not completely eliminate, high school dropout rates, low enrolment rates, truancy, and other problems. Academic performance should be improved by pupils who are intellectually engaged, since this will help to address the majority of systemic issues in education. All parents, educated or not, should be concerned about their children’s educational needs, according to Antoine (2015). Furthermore, it has been repeatedly demonstrated that parental motivation has a big influence on kids’ academic success. It is believed that intrinsic drive originates from within the work itself. When a person is involved in an activity that brings him joy and satisfaction, it happens (Gonzalez, 2012). Different amounts of motivation are required for students because this has diverse psychological effects. The majority of kids have been seeking this, which is unusual for students in this region of the world.

Academic achievement among pupils affects the entire educational system. It is employed to evaluate a school system’s effectiveness. Parents and educational institutions both have high expectations for their students in this regard. For the reason that it is frequently believed that achieving high academic standards results in a bright future and greater job chances (Amponsah, Milledzi, Twum Ampofo, & Gyambrah, 2018). Success in school is frequently equated with knowledge gained and the grades that instructors bestow after assessing that knowledge. However, from the perspective of education, the aim of teachers or educational institutions is to foster a person’s cognitive development over a set period of time. Continuous evaluations or tests will be utilized to rate this learning process. 2015’s Antoine. Intellectual prowess, environmental factors, and personal traits all affect learners’ academic success. Parents’ motivation can greatly influence a student’s ability to achieve well in school.

SITUATION OF THE PROBLEM

Secondary school students’ academic performance has been concerning. According to Gonzalez (2012), parents of kids in upper secondary levels believe their kids are grownups and don’t require encouragement. As a result, parents are just as careless as they were when their children were in elementary and middle school. Although it is thought that students in higher secondary schools can handle all of their responsibilities, they are older but not yet mature enough. Parental encouragement is still crucial. In a study, it was shown that parental motivation tended to decline as students advanced through the grades (Antoine, 2015). As kids become older, they have more freedom, parents don’t manage their time well, and parents think their kids are more mature than they actually are.

1.3 STUDY’S OBJECTIVES

This study’s major goal is to evaluate how parental motivation affects students’ academic progress in two different secondary schools in Rivers State. The following are additional study goals:

a) To investigate how parental motivation affects students’ academic success.

b) To determine the impact of parental motivation on students’ academic success

b) To investigate the causes of students’ lack of parental motivation.

d) To look into how parents might inspire their children to work hard in school.

1.4 QUESTIONS FOR RESEARCH

a) What impact does parental motivation have on children’s academic success?

b) How much of an impact does parental encouragement have on students’ academic success?

b) What are the causes of students’ lack of parental motivation?

b) How can parents encourage their children to pursue their academic goals?

1.5 RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER STUDIES

Parents and guardians of secondary school students will find this study to be of great importance since it will show them how important motivation is for pupils and how it influences academic progress. Administrators and counselors at the school will stress how important it is for parents to be involved in their children’s education.

This study will act as a foundational resource for upcoming research and references.

1.6 JURISDICTION OF THE STUDENTS

The impact of parental motivation on students’ academic progress in two different secondary schools in Rivers State will be the main focus of this study. It will also examine the difficulties parents experience, which led to their lack of involvement in their kids’ academic lives. This study will also identify effective parental motivation strategies that will help kids succeed academically.

Limitations of the study: 1.7

Jephthah Comprehensive Secondary School and Brainfield Secondary School, both in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, were the only two schools included in this study. It won’t concentrate on any other effects and will just cover the effect of parental motivation on academic attainment.

Financial limitations were experienced while doing this investigation.

1.8 TERM DEFINITION

Impact: a noticeable outcome or effect

Parents: The father or mother of a person.

Motivation is the cause of an action or pattern of behavior.

a person who is engaged in school or another type of educational institution who is actively learning with the intention of gaining knowledge, pursuing a career, and finding work in a particular field.

Achievement is the result of skill, effort, or daring.