INFLUENCE OF HOME ENVIRONMENT ON THE ACADEMIC

PERFORMANCE OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN IMO STATE

ABSTRACT

This study investigates the Influence of Home Environment on the Academic

Performance of Secondary School Students in Imo State. The study was limited to
eighteen secondary schools with adequate sample and sampling techniques and for the
purpose of data collection, the questionnaires were designed and administered to the
parents and students. The data collected was carefully analysed and was a deliberate
discussion of finding that was observed at the time of this research work and two
researchers were accepted based on their relationship. The researchers therefore made
recommendation based on the data collected and analyzed which we feel would be
helpful to improve the efficient and effective to home environment on the performance of
secondary schools student in Imo State. The study was organized under five main
chapters. Four well structured research questions aided data collection and
interpretation. The survey design comprised of nine schools were selected out of
eighteen schools, one hundred and forty four respondents were males while two
hundred and sixteen were females. Also fifty-eight parents were selected from the area
of the study. The questionnaires were validated and their reliability were tested before
being administered on the sample size. Using percentage method and 4 point likert
scale as the statistical tool, data was collected, organized and discussed as could be
seen in 4.1-4.4. Then some of the findings in this work include; the level parents
education influence students academic performance; and the influence of family size on
students.
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page i

Certification ii

Dedication iii

Acknowledgements iv

Abstract v

Table of contents vi

Chapter one

1.0 Introduction 1

1.1 Background of the Study 1

1.2 Statement of the Problem 5

1.3 Scope of the Study 6

1.4 Purpose of the Study 6

1.5 Significant of the Study 7

1.6 Research Questions 8

 1.7 Research Hypotheses 9

1.8 Definition of Terms 9

Chapter Two

2.0 Literature Review 10

2.1 The Meaning of Home Environment 10

2.2 Factors which make up Home Environment 14

2.2A Parental level of Education 15

2.2B Parental Occupation and Academic Performance of

Students 21

2.2C Family size and students Academic performance 27

2.2D Family structure and students academic performance 32

2.3 Meaning and Concept of Academic performance 38

2.4 Empirical Review of Work 38

2.5 Summary of Literature Review 40

Chapter Three

3.0 Research Methodology 41

3.1 Research Design 41

3.2 Area of the Study 41

3.3 Population of the Study 42

3.4 Sample and Sampling Technique 44

3.5 Instrument for Data Collection 45

3.6 Validation of Instrument 46

3.7 Reliability of the Instrument 46

3.8 Administration of Instrument 47

3.9 Method of Data Analysis 47

Chapter four

4.0 Presentation of Data analysis and Result 49

4.1 Research Question One 49

4.2 Research Question Two 53

4.3 Research Question three 55

4.4 Research Question Four 57

Chapter five

5.0 Discussion of Findings and Conclusion 60

5.1 Discussion of Findings 60

5.2 Education Implication of the Study 62

5.3 Limitation of the Study 64

5.4 Recommendation of the Study 65

5.5 Suggestions for further Studies 66

5.6 Summary of entire Work 66

References 68

Appendix I 70

Appendix II 71

Appendix III 76
 CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

This research work is an influence of home environment on the

academic performance of secondary school students in Owerri Municipal.

Home environment is one of the problem most developing countries are

faced with. This is due to low level of development on technology, despite

the extra miles instructors have gone to make sure that students’

performance become laudable, the end does not seem to justify the means.

The cause of this cancerous failure and ways to enhance studs’ academic

performance is the aim of this research work.

1.1 Background to the Study

Over a period to time, it has been observed the students who are

exposed to the same lesson by the same teachers are likely to perform

differently when they are evaluated.

According to Fagbamiye (1977). The Board of Education or Ministry

of Education would wide suspected teaching methodology and classroom

teachers as being the cause at the problem yet it seems to persist. This

shows that outside the school environment, students are faced with other

factors that influence their academic performances. There is also clear

distinction between the gifted children and offers, but even at that there are

factors that influence the academic of both gifted and non-gifted children

which can not be traced to the school environment.

According to Nwosu (2001) most development countries of the world

are faced with problem of limited data on the influence of the home

environment on secondary school student academic performance. This is

due to low level of development on technology. He further stated that no

nation can raise above the level of Education provided for it citizens.

According to daily sun of April Monday 16th 2007, there are social,

political, economic, religions diplomatic and other development instabilities

which tend to hamper educational practices. Hence many uncontrolled

variables are responsible for academic performance of secondary school

students.

Education has one of its basic tasks as to train young people to

become useful members of the society and this training begins at home in
the informal way. The home of the child is the first place he enters as he is

born into the world by his or her parents.

The home environment means that family background of the child,

which includes all the human and material resources present in the home

that affects child’s living such as the parent’s level of education,

occupation, social-economic status and the socializing facilities available in

the house. Thus the home is the basic in situation for providing the child’s

primary socialization and laying the educational foundation for the child

upon which the other agents of socialization build. As a result of the great

need for training of the young people, the government has come into guide

and helps the home and schools this great task by providing the national

policy on education which contains the national objectives for education.

National Policy on education (2004) has it that the board areas of

secondary education are as follows:

a. Useful living within the society

b. Higher education

In specific terms secondary education hall

a. Provide all primary school learners with the opportunity for education

of a higher level irrespective of sex, social, status religious or ethnic

background.

b. Offer diversified curriculum to cater for the differences in talents

opportunities and future role.

c. Develop and promote Nigeria language, arts and culture in the

contest of words cultural heritage.

d. In spire students with a desire for self improvement achievement of

excellence.

e. Foster national unity with an emphasis on the common ties that unite

us in our diversity.

f. Raise a generation of people who can think for themselves respect

the views and feelings of other respects the dignity of labour

appreciate these value specified under our board national goals and

lives as good citizens.

g. Provide technical knowledge and vocational skill necessary for

agricultural industrial commercial and economic development.

h. Provide trained man power in the applied science technology and

commercial at sub-professional grades.

According to Abubakar (1990), the education which a child receives

from his or her parents is most likely to have a highly significant and

dominant effect on his behaviour in his later life invariably what the child

learns at home and how his family motivates him toward education

contributes to the child’s success or failure at school. The environment

plays a very remarkable role in the life of every individual and the

educational aspect is also affected.

There are home environment factors such as:

a. Parents level of education.

b. Occupation and socio-economic status.

c. Family size and type

d. Motivation and possession of certain facilities at home etc which

influence the student’s academic performance. In this study we are to

discuss and examine some of these factors in detail as they affect

student performance at school.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Statistics on academic performance of secondary school students

has it that there has been a persistence poor performance of secondary

school student. This implies that students who are exposed to some

teaching and learning experience perform differently. It has also been

proved by psychologists that difference in intelligence is not the only factors

responsible for the difference in performance of students.

Moreover, very scanty attention has been given to most aspects of

home background of students like parental level of education, parental

occupation, family size and type of family as it affects their academic

performance. The problem of this research work is to find out the influence

of secondary schools students.

1.3 Scope of the Study

This study will be done using government owned secondary schools

in Owerri Municipal Nigeria. It will examine low variables such as parental

occupation, parent level of education, the size of the family and type of the
family affect the child’s academic performance at the secondary school

level.

1.4 Purpose of the Study

Due to the increasing difference in the academic performance of

students regarding the home as being the foundation ground for the child. It

has been observed that at least 60-65 percent of what the child does and

achieves in life is influenced by his or her home environment.

Having listed the home environmental factor above the study.

Therefore tends to find out:

a. Whether parent level of education should determine the academic

performance of the student.

b. if the academic performance of students are dependent on their

parents occupation.

c. Whether the student academic performance has relationship with the

size of the family to which the belong.

d. The extent to which type of family would affect the academic

performance of students.

1.5 Significance of the Study

The significance of this study to the teachers is that it will serve as a

guide that would enable them understand their students and know the

approach or method to adopt in teaching so as to bridge the gap of

variation in academic performance and how to organize to use to see that

every student is carried along no matter his or her family’s condition.

Furthermore, the findings and recommendations would be useful to

the government, curriculum planners and examination bodies in policy

making and in planning educational strategies for Nigeria students.

Finally, this work will be a guideline to the future researcher who will

carryout their research work on this area. It will raise more question on the

home environment and it effect on the academic performance of secondary

school students and open up new areas of study.

1.6 Research Questions

The conduct of this study will be guided by the following research

question:

1. To what extent does parents level of education influence secondary

school students academic performance?

2. To what extent does family size influence the secondary school

student’s academic performance?

3. To what extent does parent’s occupation affect the secondary school

student academic performance?

4. Does the type of family structure affect the secondary school

student’s academic performance?

1.7 Research Hypotheses

1. There is no significant relationship between the parents level of

education and secondary school student academic performance.

2. There is no significant relationship between parents occupation and

secondary school students academic performance.

3. There is no significant relationship between the family size and

academic performance of secondary school students.

4. There is no significant relationship? Between family structure and

student academic performance in schools, secondary school

precisely.