THE IMPACT OF PARENTAL SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS ON STUDENTS SCHOOL INVOLVEMENT AND ACADEMIC ATTAINMENT

THE IMPACT OF PARENTAL SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS ON STUDENTS SCHOOL INVOLVEMENT AND ACADEMIC ATTAINMENT

CHAPITER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 THE STUDY’S BACKGROUND

Building a thriving, successful society that offers opportunities and justice to everyone depends on education. The best legacy parents can give their kids is a good education. A family is where a nation first begins to develop. The nation as a whole advances when a family is effective in fostering good values in their offspring. It is generally accepted that building human resources must be the first step in any real advancement. Formal education represents these objectives to build a robust and healthy economy in an effective and efficient way.

The main goals of educational institutions in Nigeria are to produce and develop human potential in order to meet the needs of the country’s growth on all levels. The forewords to the National Policy on Education (2013) edition state that education is seen as an investment in economic, social, and political development; an all-encompassing tool of empowerment for the poor and socially marginalized groups; an efficient method of developing human resources’ full capacities and potentials; and the development of a competent work force through the acquisition of real-world skills that are applicable to the workplace as a veritable measure of competence. It is important to emphasize right away that educational institutions in Nigeria have a lot of responsibility, but that there are obstacles in their way. When such score discrepancies are looked into, it is usually found that family history has a significant contributory factor. In order to make insightful recommendations to parents, teachers, educational planners, and the government, it is crucial to look into the scope of such contributions and their effect on kids.

Socioeconomic status is one of the most debated and researched elements among educational experts that affects students’ academic achievement, according to a recent study (Muola, 2019). The most prevalent assertion is that students’ social standing affects the caliber of their academic performance. The majority of experts agree that students’ low socioeconomic status has a negative effect on their academic performance since it fails to provide their basic needs, which results in their poor academic performance (Adams, 1996).

Effective parenting at home, creating a safe and stable environment, intellectual stimulation, parent-child interaction, setting good examples of constructive social and educational ideals, and having high expectations for personal fulfillment and good citizenship are just a few examples of how parents can participate in their children’s lives. Additionally necessary are interactions with schools for the purpose of sharing information, as well as participation in educational activities, academic work, and school governance (Desforges and Abouchaar, 2021). Few studies have looked at the factors that motivate parents to get involved, despite the fact that many studies have looked at parental involvement and how it affects kids’ learning and conduct. The parents or guardians of these students are in charge of fostering a conducive home environment for their children’s successful learning, according to Ogbemudia and Aiasa (2019). Additionally, a student’s academic performance at home is influenced by their parents’ educational background, history, financial situation (at least on an average level), marital status, and geographic region. When considering the impact of the parental marital status on the academic performance of the students, great emphasis will be placed on good interpersonal relationships. This is because a home environment that is tense due to divorce or an unhealthy atmosphere of fighting due to polygamy cannot foster learning because the students’ minds will not be at ease to allow for creativity.

Importantly, how effectively a child’s parents raise them at home affects how well the child will do in school. It is a situation where the young person can pick up the abilities, perspectives, and habits that will mold them into an effective and successful learner. However, not every child is born into a household that can give them the tools they need for success in school. In supplying these educational resources, a parent’s socioeconomic level is crucial, and it also seems to have the biggest influence on the results of the child’s education (Vellymalay, 2020). In comparison to other factors, socioeconomic status has a pretty significant impact on parental involvement in children’s academic success.

Statement of the problem: 1.2

Since the beginning of modern education, there has been concern about the problem of student performance in classrooms. Numerous nations have realized that without excellent performance from students, no educational achievements would be made. Students are at the center of the educational process. Uyanga (2022) claims that parents are to fault for the poor state of education in many nations today. Therefore, the discrepancy in student performance and academic performance quality is a major source of worry and discomfort for all parties involved in secondary school education, including parents, school administrators, politicians, and various governments.

Experience has shown that there are some secondary school student differences that have an impact on academic performance. For example, some students are able to pay their school fees on time, while others are frequently expelled for failing to do so. Some students also have issues with the availability of school uniforms, while others do not. In a similar vein, while some students had access to educational resources like laptops, textbooks, and exercise books, others did not, and some kids arrived at school well-fed while others did not. The next issue is whether or not these circumstances were influenced by the parents’ familial history or whether factors like their educational attainment, money, or line of work have an impact on their commitment to their child’s academic success. This research aims to investigate how parental socioeconomic position affects adolescents’ academic achievement and involvement in school.

1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

This study’s primary goal is to investigate how parents socioeconomic status affects their children’s academic achievement and involvement in school. These particular goals are to.

i. To ascertain whether a parent’s line of work affects how involved they are in their child’s academic success.

ii. To determine whether parental participation in their children’s academic success is influenced by their level of education.

iii. To find out if a parent’s money has an effect on how involved they are in their child’s academic success.

Research hypotheses, section 1.4

The following research hypotheses have been developed for the purpose of this study:

Research hypothesis, section 1.4

To direct this investigation, the following hypothesis will be examined:

HO1: The kind of parents’ jobs has little bearing on how involved they are in their children’s academic success.

HO2: Parents’ engagement in their children’s academic success is unaffected by their degree of schooling.

HO3: Parents’ financial situation has no bearing on how involved they are in their children’s academic success.

1.5 THE IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY

When the study is complete, it will help parents understand how the family might affect a child’s participation in school and academic success, both positively and negatively. Based on the given guidance, they will be able to put into practice strategies for academically successful child upbringing. Additionally, it is probably going to inspire parents to make their kids’ school years fairly comfortable. This study may also help youngsters from different backgrounds realize and recall how their parents failed to provide them with all the necessary school materials, as well as develop empathy for the challenges and circumstances of their own families. In order to adapt a culturally diverse setting, educational and curriculum designers should also be advised to construct curricula without rigidity. Additionally, teachers would be aware that a strong teacher-parent relationship might lessen the negative effects of a child’s family history on academic success. Empirically, the study will add to the body of knowledge and be a resource for academics and students who wish to conduct additional research on the topic.

1.6 ANALYSIS OF THE STUDY

The primary focus of this study will be on how parents socioeconomic status affects their children’s involvement in school and academic performance. The study is restricted to a few Ijebu-Ode secondary schools in Ogun State.

Limitations of the study: 1.7

Like any human endeavor, the researchers encountered some small difficulties when carrying out the study. The lack of literature on the subject was the most significant restriction because the discourse was novel. The sample size was limited to secondary schools in Abuja Municipal because the researcher spent more money and a lot of time looking for pertinent resources, literature, or information, as well as conducting the data collection process. As a result, the findings of this study cannot be applied to primary schools in other states of Nigeria. The researcher will also be engaged in other academic activities at the same time, which will prevent them from giving the research their entire focus. Nevertheless, all factors were minimized in order to produce the best results and guarantee the success of the study, despite the constraints encountered throughout the investigation.

1.8 OPERATIONAL TERMS DEFINITION

Due to the relativity of concepts and their meaning, the study uses some concepts that require explanation.

Trade, profession, or primary source of income for an individual.

Economic and social standing in society is referred to as socio-economic status. An individual may achieve such a position through own efforts such as education, income, employment, and social status rather than through inheritance.

Academic Performance: This term refers to a student’s accomplishments, class rankings, and standing in relation to all other test-takers.

Parental Educational Attainment: This is the highest grade parents have earned at the highest educational level they have attended.

The labor that parents do is known as their parental occupation. It is a pastime that a person engages in.