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THE EFFECTS OF PARENTS BACKGROUND ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS IN INTEGRATED SCIENCE

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Education is a basic tool used by society for transmission of its societal values. It has become an area of prime importance not only for government or voluntary agencies but also for individuals, families, Governments and communities. Voluntary agencies and individuals are committing a lot of resources in order to achieve success in the educational enterprise (Orhungur, 1990).

Awoniyo (1991) put it that the government believes that the greatest investment of a nation should be in her people. The greatness of any nation depends on the genius, qualities, attitudes and aspirations of her people and it cannot expect to be ignorant and free at the same time.

Many factors and reasons have been given as being responsible for the continuous falling in the academic standard of our present educational system. These include; attitudes of teachers to work, lack of seriousness on the part of the students, effect of the dwindled economy and to some extent the increasing degenerating moral system. Despite all possible efforts put forward by various governments and voluntary agencies to curb these trends, the country is yet to witness the rise it desires to see in the educational system.

The saddest irony of it all is that we have all the teaching facilities and equipment with modern infrastructures, more qualified and experienced teachers now than we had in the past, more improved effective teaching methods and strategies and all the facilities as well as basic amenities one could need for effective learning. The worry then was, why is education falling continuously in the system today?

The researchers’ interest and motivation in this topic is the fact that some students are exceptionally good in their work, while some extremely bad. When such variations in scores are traced it is more often discovered that family background is a major contributory factor. It is therefore important that the levels of such contributions and the influence they have on children be examined so that useful suggestions to parents, teachers, educational planners and government could be made.

Orhungur (1990) asserts that the cultural background of the family is determined to a large extent by its socio-economic background. As the child grows up and moves out to the interest of wider society his/her interaction with it and perception of it are largely determined from her earlier experiences at home. The family setting and its socializing influence mold the personality of the child. Nigeria, for instance, is a society with diverse ethnic groups with various cultural backgrounds in areas like family size, occupation and in extreme cases, religion. These factors pose their own restrictions on educational upbringing of children. The social sitting or mode of settlement of the family and extended family system may equally influence the academic performance of a child and by extension, their educational upbringing.

Motivation is most needed in order to perform more efficiently in their area of endeavor. When certain factors are eminent in a child’s family background, it is clear that the child will be motivated and driven towards a high academic goal.

Denga (1986) in Eyake (1997) advised that praises, incentives, recommendations and other forms of reward system should be employed as motivational factors to stimulate students to higher achievements. It is likely that the much a child achieves during his school days is largely dependent on the kind of family to which he/ she belongs. For instance, a child whose parents take a great deal of interest in what he/ she does at school and give him / her necessary support by providing all the required books and finances needed has a great advantage over a child whose parents do not give him this kind of incentives and encouragement.

More so, students’ attitudes to learning and educational performances are shaped by the kind of stimuli offered to them by their various environments. This can be considered in terms of the type of family, the home, parental social orientation, educational level, occupation to mention but a few. It is therefore evident that students’ performance is contingent on the stimulus the home offers.

Educational upbringing is not unconnected with the family influence of a child. Individual members of the family serve as a model to the child as he/ she copies from each of them. Eyake (1997) quoted. Adeyemi (1977), if the house fails to provide the child with the necessary equipment to fit him/ her into his proper place in the society and guided properly for his/ her future career, then the child is damaged. An analysis of the percentage of secondary school dropouts today entails that such students are usually from broken homes, wiring polygamous families or with other socially related problems.

The agrarian and large families have accounted for the polygamous life of people. The larger the size of the family, the more economic and other social responsibilities the parents bring upon themselves. And more often than not, the educational performance of students from such families suffer serious setbacks. This is because such parents might not be able to afford the cost of funding education for their children.

Other factors may affect the education performance of students like separation on grounds of different working stations, divorce or even natural death can bring adverse effects on the growth and development of a child.

Furthermore, the economic position of parents is one of the major factors that can greatly influence the educational upbringing of a child. In most families, either or none of parents may be earning income sufficient enough to sustain the family, faced with malnutrition and other emotional and psychological effects, the mental development of the child  would be greatly retarded. Orhunger (1990) adds that a low income family with plenty of feeding problems may produce children whose physical and mental development poses real challenges to the schools effort at optimum development of the child. This research work is therefore intended to explore the degree to which these factors influence the educational performance of students with a view to making useful suggestions that would help in checking the system.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Societies all over the world strive to achieve quantitative education for her citizenry. In order to achieve this noble course, so many factors must be put into consideration. Among them is the family background of the child. The family has a great role to play on the overall development of the child and his educational upbringing in particular.                    

The gap in performance between students and academic excellence constitute a great source of worry and serious concern as well as discomfiture to both parents, schools mangers, policy makers and various governments responsible for the education of students’ in secondary school schools.

Experience has shown that among secondary school students’ there exist some differences which influence students' academic performance, such as some students’ being able to pay their school fees promptly, while  others  were often sent away for nonpayment of school fees, some students have  problems with the provision of school uniform but others do not. Likewise, some students were motivated by their parents through the provision of educational materials like text books and exercise books, others were not, whereas some students’ come to school properly fed, others not. One then wonders whether the influence of family background had played a role in these issues.

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The main objective of this study is to determine the effects of parents background on the academic performance of students in integrated science

Specific objectives include;

1. To examine the impact of family background on the academic performance of students in integrated science.

2. To determine if the socioeconomic status of parents affects the academic performance of their children in integrated science.

3. To investigate the correlation between parental educational attainment and the academic performance of students in integrated science.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. How does family background contribute to the academic performance of students in integrated science?

2. What is the relationship between the socioeconomic status of parents and the academic achievement of their children in integrated science?

3. To what extent does parental educational attainment influence the academic performance of students in integrated science?

1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

H0: There is no significant relationship between family background and the academic performance of students in integrated science.

H1: There is a significant relationship between family background and the academic performance of students in integrated science.

H0: The socioeconomic status of parents does not significantly impact the academic performance of their children in integrated science.

H1: The socioeconomic status of parents significantly impacts the academic performance of their children in integrated science.

H0: There is no significant correlation between parental educational attainment and the academic performance of students in integrated science.

H1: There is a significant correlation between parental educational attainment and the academic performance of students in integrated science.

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The work of this nature when completed may help the parents to be aware of the effect the family has on children and how such affect the child positively or negatively in relation to their academic performance. From the available recommendations, they will be able to adopt measures of bringing up there in such a way that they will perform well academically.

Similarly, it is likely to encourage parents to make their children relatively comfortable in schools. This study also could aid children of various families to be aware and bear in mind their parents' ability to provide them with all the necessary requirements in schools, and also sympathize with them in family problems and situations.

More so, educational and curriculum planners could be guided in planning the curriculum without rigidity to suit diverse cultural environments. In addition, the teachers would be aware that a cordial teacher-parent relationship may in a way improve the influence of family background on the academic performance of a child in school.The research of this nature is likely to help the state, nation and the world in general benefit from as adherence to the recommendations and implementation will help produce youths who would be better leaders of tomorrow.  

Finally, the research when completed may add to available literature and may encourage further research on the topic.

1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study focuses on investigating the effects of parents' background on the academic performance of students in integrated science within Karu Local Government Area (LGA) Secondary Schools in Nasarawa State, Nigeria. The scope includes analyzing various aspects of parents' socio-economic status, educational attainment, and family structure, and their correlation with students' academic achievements in integrated science.

Specifically, the study will involve collecting data from secondary schools located within Karu LGA in Nasarawa State, considering factors such as parental occupation, income level, educational background, and family size. It will examine how these factors influence students' performance in integrated science subjects.

Additionally, the scope encompasses identifying any patterns or disparities in academic performance among students from different parental backgrounds within the selected secondary schools. The study aims to provide insights into the role of parents' background in shaping students' academic outcomes in integrated science education within the context of Karu LGA, Nasarawa State.

1.8 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

Limitations of the study include the potential for response bias in self-reported data from students and parents, as well as the possibility of limited generalizability due to the focus on a specific geographic area (Karu LGA, Nasarawa State). Additionally, constraints such as time and resources may limit the sample size and scope of data collection. The study may also be affected by external factors such as changes in educational policies or socioeconomic conditions. Finally, the reliance on cross-sectional data may restrict the ability to establish causal relationships between parental background and students' academic performance in integrated science.

1.9 DEFINITION OF TERMS

1. Parents Background: The socio-economic, educational, and cultural characteristics of a student's parents, including their occupation, income level, educational attainment, and family structure.

2. Academic Performance: The extent to which students achieve academic goals and standards set by educational institutions, typically measured by grades, test scores, and class rankings.

3. Integrated Science: A multidisciplinary approach to teaching and learning science that combines elements of biology, chemistry, physics, and earth/space science to provide a comprehensive understanding of scientific concepts and phenomena.

4. Socioeconomic Status (SES): A measure of an individual's or family's social and economic position within society, often determined by factors such as income, education level, occupation, and neighborhood quality.

5. Educational Attainment: The highest level of education completed by an individual, typically measured by degrees, diplomas, or certifications earned. 

6. Family Structure: The composition and organization of a family unit, including the number of parents or guardians, siblings, and other relatives living in the household.

7. Academic Achievement: The demonstration of knowledge, skills, and competencies in academic subjects, reflecting students' successful completion of learning objectives and educational standards.

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