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CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Family is the first social group where the child’s earliest education in

the society usually begins. The child interacts with the family members, first

with the mother, later the father and the siblings (brothers and sisters). With

this continuous process of interaction, the child is socialized into the

prevalent social practices of the family such as teaching the child good moral

values, provision of safety, provision of basic needs as well as education

(William, 2009). The family exerts a profound influence on the response of

the child to school work through the parents. Family, according to Tor-Anuiin

(2004), is a small kinship group whose key function is the socialization of the

newborn. Family is the first socialization agent. In this context, family is a

social group whose function is to support their children. The warmth which

can only be provided by the parents gives the child a sense of belonging and

affections which enhance his mental, moral, and educational growth. If

children are denied these much needed parental support, affection and

warmth during the vital period of their lives, they become negatively affected

in all aspects of life (Bane, 2010). This means that the major stakeholders in

the education of children are the parents.

Parents are unit of interacting persons whose central purpose is to

create and maintain a common culture which promotes the physical, mental,

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emotional and social development of each of its members (Eweniyi, 2005).

Parker (2012) also defined parents as a unit of interacting persons related by

marriage, birth or adoption. Parents are created when two or more people

construct an intimate place that they define as a family, where they generally

share a living space, commitment and a variety of roles and functions (Daval,

2002). According to Okoh (2004), parents are group of people who guarantee

the procreating, care and education of the young, the stability of the family

and the permanence of society upon which the survival of race depends.

Parents have the responsibility to provide attention, support, love, affection

and education to meet the physical, mental and social needs of their children

(Hartman, 2013).

Parent plays a crucial role in the provision of formal and informal

education. Parents’ background represent a number of variables like parental

education, occupation, income, gender, status, size of the family having

implication on the educational support of school children (Otis, 2010).

Education can be defined as a process of developing knowledge and

ability in learners in such a way that they use this knowledge to improve

themselves and their society (Crosnoe, 2004). For educational support,

Frazer, (2002) defines support as to furnishing someone with the means of

sustenance or livelihood. According to Uche (2004), to support is to maintain

or provide for. For Think (2009), support means rendering services and

assisting someone to achieve his targets. In this context, support means

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helping and guiding people by providing their needs whether at home or in

the school. Educational support therefore is providing school children with

basic needs in school such as writing materials, textbooks, pocket money,

paying school fees, transportation to school (Jeynes, 2004).

The educational support that parents give to their children is most

likely to have a highly significant and dominant effect upon their behaviour

in later life (Cotton, 2005). How they respond to school activities and their

performance may be highly dependent on the attitudes and behaviour they

acquire from their parents at home. However, after starting school the child

normally continues to live with the parents and could be deeply influenced by

their educational and occupational background. Since parents differ in terms

of their background, educational qualification and occupation, the level of

support they give to their wards may likely differ. Adekeyi (2005) asserts that

it is mainly through attitude and abilities of parents that children become

useful and productive members of the society with regards to academic

activities.

Parents’ attitude towards their children’s academic activities is very

crucial to the future of their children in particular and the society in general.

The type of educational support parents give to their children could be a

reflection of the parents’ educational and occupational background (Douglas,

2006). Douglas further stresses that parents with good educational

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background may encourage their children to develop interest in school work

hence support them with good learning environment at home.

The levels of educational support parents give to their children may be

high, moderate or low. Illiteracy of parents and poor occupational background

may have a negative effect on the educational support of their children.

Children whose parents are illiterate may be seen to lack home

encouragement. Children from such parents may receive very low or no

educational support from their parents and this may discourage them from

learning (David 2007). David (2007) further posits that parents’ illiteracy,

poverty and ignorance may demotivate them from their academic pursuit.

Such parents may fail to support, reinforce, give reward or punish their

children on their academic performance. This might have forced them to be

unserious in learning. This indeed has a serious implication for the learning

and performance of such students in schools. They cannot cope properly with

the school systems that will make them to achieve their ambitions. On the

other hand, literate parents with better occupational background may have

interest in their children’s academic performance. They struggle to provide

them with needed materials and give them high or moderate levels of

educational support since they themselves know the importance of education.

They provide adequate support and reward when the children perform better

in class assignments, tests and examination. Taking care of children and

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making provision for their needs, especially educational needs, are very

important in determining the academic performance of children.

It is a common belief that educated parents are in a better position to

appreciate the need for effective learning and understand the most effective

way of enhancing achievement by providing academic help whenever a child

needs it. Their perception, value orientation and attitudes towards education

are different from their counterparts who are illiterate (not educated). The

educated parents normally provide their children with material resources

adequate enough to ensure the education of all or most of their children. It

includes the ability to pay fees for education i.e. school uniforms, books,

learning facilities. In this context, parents’ level of education is categorized as

illiterate (i.e. never experienced formal education), primary school leaving

certificate, GCE or Grade 11, Ordinary National Diploma (OND), Nigeria

Certificate in Education, Bachelor of Arts/Science Education etc, as well as

Higher Degree Certificate and Postgraduate.

The parental support provides opportunity for the child to make use of

comfortable learning environment at home such as library with relevant

materials like textbooks and condusive environment that facilitate learning

for the child’s education in the school, provision of financial support for

extra- curricular activities that are geared towards the academic achievement

of their children (Bolarinwa, 2007). While children from parents with low

educational qualification may suffer from material deprivation. Their parents

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may consider going to school a waste of time, money and energy (Musgrave,

2007). Musgrave further reiterates that child from an educated home would

like to follow the steps of the parents. Parents who have a good level of

education are likely to have a favoured attitude to their child’s education.

However, this may be reflected on the level of occupation of the parents.

Occupation generally refers to a job or profession. It denotes what an

individual engages in as a means, or source of livelihood. The occupation

provides income or earnings which a person uses in satisfying his or her basic

needs. Occupation refers to a set of activities that center on an economic role

and is usually associated with earning a living, such as a trade and a

profession (Caro, 2009). In every society and culture, there are different

categories of occupation. These categories involve specializations of socio-

economic functions of individuals in a given society, requiring the

classification of work type, professions and vocations (Danasty and Okediran

2002).

Occupation of parents determines the extent to which children’s basic

needs are provided (Walter, 2005). This is because children from family with

prestigious occupation normally get high income, tend to get sufficient

facilities in terms of text books, uniform and other learning materials which

children from low income families cannot afford. Where such resources and

facilities are lacking, it is inevitable that the learning abilities of a child is

seriously affected. And this is inimical to their educational progress. This

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view is supported by Kenneth (2001) and Taiwo (2007) that the availability

of funds from parents and other family members will affect such things as the

quality of school attended, the number of books which a child possess and the

employment of private tutor.

The different occupations are categorized under seven classes

according to their social prestige as opined by Hall and Jones (2005). They

are: Class one, the professional and high administrator. Class two, managerial

and executive. Class three, inspectoral, supervisory and other non manual

high grade. Class four, inspectional, supervisory and other non-manual lower

grade. Class five, skilled, manual and routine grade of non-manual. Class six,

semi-skilled manual and class seven is the unskilled manual. In this context,

all occupations are categorized into five broad groups: professional,

managerial, business men, skilled and unskilled workers. The class of

occupation parents have may determine the level of educational support given

to their children. In Jigawa state majority of the people of this area belong to

skilled and unskilled categories of occupation whereby their earnings are very

low. This may make it difficult to cater for their children and support them

appropriately in their educational needs. In Kano state, however, though

majority of the people of this area are rich and they belong to a managerial

and business class, yet they do not have much interest in the education of

their children much less of supporting them with necessary facilities that can
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aid learning. Such negative attitudes of parents could not motivate the

children and may likely affect their learning abilities.

Another factor which may influence educational support to the school

children by their parents is gender. Keller and Keller (2004) define gender as

the distinction in roles, behaviour, mental and emotional characteristics

between male and female developed by the society. Dahiru (2011) describes

gender as the biological sexual characteristics by which the society identifies

males and females. However the society defines sex roles, attitude and values

as it is being appropriate for one’s sex or the other. There are several

assumptions for gender bias in the society. For instance male children are

preferred in many cultures to females because males remain in the family and

continue the family name. However, girls are not because they are married

out to another family (Helen, 2001). Uche (2004) opines that this may

influence educational support as some parents may have the belief that a male

child would be trained in such a way to help their parents and take care of

their family in later years.

Parents by virtue of their occupations and educational background live

in entirely different geographical locations. This may influence educational

support to students because majority of parents who live in rural areas are

poor and cannot adequately afford good meals let alone meeting the

educational needs of their children. They are therefore unable to provide their

children with school requirement (Oko and Eloigwu, 2002). This indeed has a
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serious implication for the learning and performance of those less privileged

students in school, as such; students from such parents are forced to miss

classes, unable to do their assignments and most seriously are driven out of

school due to non payment of school fees (Osunloye, 2008). Furthermore, the

levels of enlightenment of parents on education in the rural areas are

negligible and cannot be compared with parents in the urban areas. In urban

areas there is availability of social amenities, reading materials, good schools,

and access to good roads (Ridge, 2010). Lack of adequate materials in one

area or the other may likely affect the educational support given to students in

those areas.

Parents living in ignorance and poverty are at great risk of hunger,

homelessness, family stress and educational failure (Saifi, 2011). These

environmental factors contribute much more to the situation of the children

that live in poverty for being likely to have learning disability than non

poverty stricken students (Hijazi, Naqbi 2006). If a student has not eaten for

days and has clothes that do not fit, how is he/she expected to be focused in a

classroom? Children coming from poverty inflicted homes are not provided

with the same tools as the children from wealthy homes. They are enrolled in

schools more belatedly than the children of wealthy parents. Li-Grining

(2007) affirms that the problem starts with the parents and their lack of

education and understanding of the needs of children.

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As a result of ignorance and lack of sufficient resources of some

parents, their children have been forced into uninspired careers due to

unavailability of financial resources. Such individuals are forced out of

school and made to engage in hawking, selling packaged drinking water and

the likes so as to save money for their school expenses. The persistence of

this in life of an individual student may spell doom for his academic success

(Walter, 2008).

In Kano and Jigawa states which are the study areas, students in these

areas, due to lack of proper educational support engage in stealing, fighting,

abscondment from school, robbery, cultism, cheating, examination

malpractice while some engage in some menial jobs like selling of sachet

water, sugar cane, “suya” or pushing barrows in order to take care of

themselves. Against the backdrop of the foregoing, the researcher is

interested in investigating the influence of parents’ educational and

occupational background on educational support of secondary school students

in Kano and Jigawa states.

Statement of the Problem

The family constitutes the child’s immediate and primary social

environment. It is the most primary group and the smallest social unit in any

given society. The children receive their first physical, mental, religious and

emotional and educational training from the parents that oversee the activity

of family. Parents are the operators of the child’s development. They are the
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first educators of their children and are responsible for providing children

with the right platform for learning.

However, illiteracy of parents and poor occupational background may

have negative effect on the educational support of their children. Children

whose parents are illiterates may be seen to lack home encouragement and

such children may receive low or no educational support from their parents

and this may discourage them from learning. At the same time, occupation of

parents determine the extent to which students/children basic needs are

provided, that is why children from family of prestigious occupation normally

get sufficient facilities in terms of text book, uniform and other learning

facilities. Where such resources and facilities are lacking, it is inevitable that

the learning abilities of a child is seriously affected in terms of their

educational progress. Gender disparity also has a negative effect on the

educational support of school children as some parents preferred male child

and support them well educationally as they remain in the family and

continue with the family name, but female are not so because they are

married to another family. So this gender bias in the society may affect the

educational support of school children by their parents. Again, the parents’

geographical locations may determine the level of educational support to the

students. Where parents live in rural areas that cannot adequately afford good

meals let alone meeting the educational needs of their children, such students

from such parents are forced to miss classes, unable to do their assignments
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and most seriously are driven out of school due to non-payment of school

fees.

The consequences of not supporting the students in schools are many.

Students by their nature do get involved in very many activities outside their

studies. When students lose interest in their studies, failure rate will be

higher. They may engage in very many unlawful activities like fighting,

truancy, examination malpractices, cultism, stealing and consequently drop

out of school. Furthermore, student’s low or negative educational support

may result in failure. When failures become persistent, students may easily

withdraw from the school system. Based on the background, the central

problem of this study is to find out whether parents’ occupational and

educational background has any influence on the educational support of

secondary school students in Jigawa and Kano States.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of the study generally is to investigate the influence of

parents’ occupational and educational background on educational support of

secondary school students in Jigawa and Kano States. Specifically, the

purpose of the study is to determine the:

1. levels of educational support given to secondary school students by

their parents in Jigawa and Kano States.

2. influence of parents’ occupation on the educational support given to

the students
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3. influence of parents’ level of education on the educational support

given to the students

4. influence of students’ gender on the level of the educational support by

their parents

5. influence of parents’ location on the level of educational support given

to the students.

Significance of the Study

This study will be tremendously beneficial both theoretically and

practically. Theoretically, it is inclined to the Albert Bandura’s social

learning theory (1977), which states that behaviour is learned from the

environment through the process of observational learning and that

performance in school learning is traceable to parental background of the

learner. It is equally inclined to Abraham Maslow’s theory of motivational

needs that speaks of basic needs that are necessary to the self actualization of

the adolescent. According to the theory, unsatisfied needs create tension and

make individual unhappy. However, these needs cannot be achieved without

the support by the parents to the students. These theories are related to the

present study.

Practically, the study will be of immense benefit to students, teachers,

parents, principals of educational institutions, guidance counselors,

sociologists of education, government, the society and the future researchers.

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The findings of the study will help the students to understand that their

parents’ educational and occupational backgrounds are the major

determinants of their educational support. The knowledge they may acquire

will motivate them to work hard in their studies and excel in examinations

and get better jobs. To realize this, findings of this study can be presented to

the students through peer group education programmes, seminars and

symposia.

The results of this study will help teachers to realize that the students

come from different homes with parents having different educational and

occupational backgrounds. So this may help the teachers to know how to treat

the students based on their own backgrounds. As such, the findings of this

study can be presented at workshops and seminars to teachers for better

understanding of students’ background.

Furthermore, the findings of this study will throw more light on the

need for the parents to understand the importance of giving equal educational

support to both male and female students. This equal educational support will

afford male and female students the equal opportunity to have hope for higher

education in future. To further achieve this, the results of this study can be

presented to parents through radio, television and mass mobilization

programmes.

The secondary school principals will benefit from the findings of the

study. For instance, the knowledge about students’ parental background and
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the students’ problems will serve as a veritable platform for school principals

to invite the parents and discuss their children’s needs and the importance of

giving these children adequate educational support. This aspect of findings

can be presented at a PTA meeting and seminar organized by the educational

institutions in collaboration with state government agencies.

The study is also fundamental to the school guidance counselors. It will

assist them to counsel the students from different background appropriately

with respect to the academic demands of such students. The guidance

counselors can remedy any shortfall in motivation from low socio-economic

status of some students by providing the required motivation to improve on

their academic achievement.

The results of this study will further help the sociologists of education

to understand that parents and children interact to achieve a common goal in a

society. The knowledge of this will enable them to assist both parents and

students achieve a common goal for positive future living. This particular

finding can become realistic through dialogue, meeting, seminars and

pamphlets.

The results of this study will form an important basis for the

organization of conferences, seminars, and workshops by the federal and state

government, institutions of higher learning, and government agencies and for

the society at large. These conferences, seminars and workshops could be

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designed to equip parents in the society on how to give their children

adequate educational support to help them achieve their feat.

The result of the study will also be significant to the society. It will

provide awareness on the influence of parents’ occupational and educational

background on educational support of their school children. With this

awareness, the general public will understand the need for parental education

and occupation in the educational growth of the child, through provision of

essential learning materials and needed educational assistance at home.

The findings of the study will be useful to future researchers as the

information collected will form a data-base for related studies.

Scope of the Study

The study was carried out in Jigawa and Kano states on the influence

of parents’ educational and occupational background on educational support

of secondary school students. The study also focused on the influence of

parents’ occupation on the educational support to the students, the influence

of parents’ level of education on the educational support to the students, the

influence of students’ gender on the level of educational support, and the

influence of parents’ location on the level of educational support of students.

Research Questions

The following research questions guided the study:

1) What are the levels of educational support given by parents to the

students of secondary schools in Jigawa and Kano States?

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2) What is the influence of parents’ occupation on the educational support

given to the students?

3) What is the influence of parental level of education on the educational

support to the students?

4) What is the influence of students’ gender on the level of the

educational support by their parents?

5) What is the influence of parents’ location on the level of educational

support to the students?

Hypotheses

The following null hypotheses guided the study and were tested at 0.05

level of significance.

HO1: There is no significant difference in the frequencies of the ratings of the

educational support to the students based on parents’ occupation.

HO2: There is no significant difference in the frequencies of the ratings of

the educational support to the students based on parental levels of

education.

HO3: There is no significant difference in the frequencies of the ratings of

the educational support to the students based on students’ gender.

HO4: There is no significant difference in the frequencies of the ratings of

the educational support to the students based on parents’ location.

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CHAPTER TWO

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

This chapter reviewed related literature under the following sub-

headings: conceptual framework, theoretical framework; review of empirical

studies and summary of literature review.

Conceptual Framework

Concept of Parent

Concept of Occupation

Concept of Education

Concept of Educational Support

Concept of Secondary Education

Concept of Gender

Concept of Location

Schematic Presentation of the Conceptual Framework.

Theoretical Framework

Needs Theory by Abraham Maslow (1962)

Social Learning Theory by Albert Bandura (1977)

Review of Empirical Studies

Studies related to parents’ occupation and educational support

Studies related to parental level of education and educational support

Studies related to location and educational support

Studies related to gender and educational support

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Summary of Literature Review

Conceptual Framework

Concept of Parent

Parents are the most important agents that determine the fate of any

child. He is fed by the parents and received all forms of nurture. Parker

(2012) further defines parents as a unit of interacting persons related by

marriage, birth or adoption, whose central purpose is to create and maintain a

common culture which promotes the physical, mental, emotional and social

development of each of its members. Parents are created when two or more

people construct an intimate place that they define as a family, in which they

generally share a living space, commitment and a variety of roles and

functions.

The parents have the responsibility to provide attention, love, affection,

support and education to meet the physical, mental and social needs of the

child and also teach the child the ethical and spiritual concept of the

community. It is in this line that Ingalis and Salerno (2013) describe parents

as special grouping, usually of biological related persons bound by strong ties

of intimacy and caring. The type and quality of care and support provided by

the parents are of immense importance to the child’s well-being.

Parents have been the major persons involved in raising children in

every society. Parents play a significant role in the early development of a

child. Parents made children academically prepared for formal school such as
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primary school, secondary school and tertiary institutions. Parents provide the

opportunity for a child to show his interest and ability by providing

educational support which is intellectually stimulating to the child (Taiwo,

2007).

Parents provide to the child support and helping hands in order to make

him fit to run a successful life. Such educational support include provision of

school materials, books, writing materials like paying school fees, transport

and other school needs that might help them develop intellectually. The

educational support by the parent is however a reflection of the parents’

educational and occupational background (Ogunlade, 2008). Grissmer (2009)

submits that parent’s educational background influences the educational

support of students. This is because, the parents would be in a good position

to be second teachers to the child, and even guide and counsel the child on

the best way to perform well in school and provide the necessary materials

needed by the children for his education.

The most important factor associated with the educational achievement

of children is not race, ethnicity or immigrant status. Instead, the most critical

factors according Rothman (2006) is parental background (educational and

occupational). Rothman asserts that parental backgrounds are indispensable

factors that influence the educational support of secondary school students.

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Concept of Occupation

Man by nature is an economic being whose everyday life depends on the

importance of his occupational status. Lindergreen (2009), notes that when two

adults meet and become acquainted, one of the first questions is usually, what

do you do? Lindergreen further stresses that knowing one’s occupation tells

much about ones background. Therefore, occupation is referred to as a person’s

usual or principal work or business, especially as a means of earning a living. In

other words, it is any activity in which one regularly devotes oneself as a means

of setting a living (Merriam 2014). As earlier observed, Association of

Occupation Therapists (2002) defines occupation as everything people do to

occupy themselves, enjoying life leisure, and contributing to the social and

economic fabric of communities. As stated in this context, occupation refers to

the kind of work performed or carried out by a particular worker or person to

complete his or her duties for a wage or profit.

In a society, there are different types of occupations. Clerk (2005)

identifies five types of occupations namely: the professional workers,

managerial workers, businessmen skilled and unskilled workers. Skilled

workers are those who have the ability to manipulate certain equipment and

render services at a given point in time. They are people who have acquired

the necessary expertise and the ability to execute given tasks with technical

dexterity. The unskilled labourers are made up of those who have no job

classification. They are the labourers who earn their living by physical
 22

strength and are mostly found in menial jobs. They support the skilled

workers.

Occupation plays a major role in shaping the life-style of an individual.

It enables people in a particular locality or community to draw conclusions

about one’s position and scale of living (Walter, 2005). Knowing one’s

occupation in an environment gives another person insight into the social and

economic status of the individual. People get into different occupations either

by merit (achieved status) or ascription (at birth that is the family’s

background). The regard or value placed on certain occupation determines an

individual’s socio-economic status when using occupation as yardstick.

Therefore, the level of one’s occupation may determine the educational

support one gives to school children.

Concept of Education

The concept of education is very wide and broad. Education according

to Collins (2004) is an act or process of imparting or acquiring general

knowledge and of developing the powers of reasoning and judgment. Ukeje

(2003) sees education as the means by which people who acquired the

civilization of the past are enabled to take part in the civilization of the

present and at the end make the civilization of the future. On the other hand,

Dary (2008) defined education as a process by which society deliberately

transmits its accumulated knowledge, skill and values from one generation to

another.
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Education means the drawing out or development of the faculties. This

begins in school and college where one learns the rudiments, and gains a

smattering of knowledge on various subjects. It is where one learns the best

method of acquiring knowledge (Collins, 2004). Therefore, education is the

process of teaching and training, training and learning especially in schools or

colleges to improve knowledge and skills. Education is the ability to read

and write and perform some skills, which means it could either be formal or

informal.

Education is the tool for the integration of the individual effectively

into a society so that the individual can achieve self-reliance, develop

national consciousness, promote unity and strive for political, scientific,

cultural and technological progress (Adesina, 2005). The importance of

education cannot be stated enough. Education is crucial to the overall

development of an individual. Therefore, secondary school students need to

be supported educationally because it has been proven that education is the

prerequisite for the harmonious functioning of any society.

Education does not only provide knowledge and skills, but it also

inculcates values, training of instincts, fostering right attitude and habit. In

Nigeria, the aim of inculcating consciousness, unity, the right type of values

and the acquisition of appropriate intellectual and physical skills abilities and

competencies is important. (FRN, 2004).

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As a process, education means a set of activities, which entails

handling down the ideals, values and norms of the society across generation

(John, 2010). While education does not only end at the acquisition of

knowledge, Whitehead (2012), argue that it transcends to the ability to apply

the acquired knowledge. Akinpelu (2012) opines that education may be

thought of as a process involving activities like teaching, persuading,

motivating, learning, and examining which go on generally in schools and

colleges.

Education as a discipline is further defined in terms of organized

knowledge which students are exposed to in colleges, institutes and faculty of

education. According to Moor (2012), the branches of organized knowledge

include history of education, philosophy of education, educational

psychology, curriculum and instruction, sociology of education, and

educational administration. Moor stresses that specialization in any of the

above branches of knowledge makes an individual a student of education.

As a way of broadness, for education, three basic criteria have been

stipulated. That is education must involve the transmission of something

worthwhile. This represents the content of education, that it must involve

knowledge, understanding and an active cognitive perspective. This stands

for the purpose and intention of education, and that the mode of transmission

must be based on willingness and voluntariness on the part of the learner, not

on coercion or force but on the method that symbolizes education (Lamberty,

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2012). In other words, any process that does not involve the transmission of

values, knowledge as well as the active and voluntary participation of the

recipient does not merit the term education.

The type of educational attainment of parents leads to the type of

qualifications or certificates obtained. Some parents attended primary school

and obtained primary school leaving certificate, some secondary school and

obtained secondary school leaving certificate. Parents who attended

universities, tertiary institutions like polytechnics or colleges of education

obtained certificate of Degree, Higher National Diploma (HND) or Nigeria

Certificate in Education (NCE) respectively. It is assumed that children

whose parents are educated may likely get or receive educational support and

perform better than a child from illiterate or poor background (Taiwo, 2007).

In education, teaching is an activity aimed at bringing about

meaningful learning through a method that is morally and pedagogically

acceptable. It involves a teacher, content in form of knowledge, facts,

information and a skill to be imparted, a deliberate intention on the part of the

teacher to teach for learning and on the part of the learners’ cognitive

integrity and freedom of choice (Zill, 2013). This is to say that in an

educational context, teaching cannot be imagined without a teacher, a learner,

and a content of what to be taught.

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Concept of Educational Support

Educational support is a provision made to school children that will

enable them to satisfy their needs educationally. Such needs include the

writing materials, textbooks, pocket money, payment of school fees, and

transportation to school. Children throughout the age exhibited needs of

security, affection and recognition from the parents and the society. At

school, they wish all their needs are met by the parents basically and the

teachers afterwards (Bolarinwa, 2007). As the child passes through stages of

education from play group to primary school, secondary and tertiary, new

needs arise which are often critical during adolescent. The necessary

adjustment and accommodation to such needs of the child are supported by

the home parents.

This situation however, cannot be divorced from the said parent’s

educational and occupational background (Mu’az, 2008). This means that the

level of education attained by the parents and what they do for their living

influence the level of educational support given to their children.

More so, it is assumed that parents who are placed in the higher

occupation positions whose conditions of service, status and income differ

greatly from those of the manual and unskilled parents give different

educational support to their children (Majoribanks, 2002). Another aspect of

parental support is an academic encouragement. It seems that parents with

 27

high economic status tend to be more concerned about teaching the child and

appoint part-time teachers for him (Mallum, 2002).

All round education is understood to be an educational practice which

develops the mental and physical potential of the learner as well as his

character. A learner is expected to show interest in all school activities but

this depends on the facilities the children came across in their different

locations and schools (Williams, 2009). In Most cases, only children of

affluent businessmen and highly placed professional parents who reside in

government reserved areas provide opportunity for their wards in sporting

activities like indoor games and table games. Children from other class of

parents in some cases are not the same. This is a reflection of the support

given to them by their parents. Educated parents are more concerned and

more effective in helping their children in academic work. In doing so, they

are also able to supervise and monitor their children’s academic progress.

And this can in no small measure contribute to the academic progress of

children (Uwadiae, 2000). Wilkins (2002) posits that parents with low

educational and occupational background mostly do not care to supervise

their children performance due to insufficient knowledge to face the

challenge and this will discourage the children and may even lead to their

dropping out of school and consequently develop bad habit such as stealing,

fighting, examination malpractices cultism etc.

 28

Concept of Secondary Education

Secondary education is the form of education children receive after

primary education. It is that level of education that prepares children for the

adult world. It is the second stage traditionally found in formal education,

beginning about age eleven to thirteen and ending usually of age fifteen to

eighteen. In other words secondary education is the stage of education

following primary schools (FRN, 2004). Except in few countries where only

primary or basic education is compulsory, secondary education includes the

final stage of compulsory education. However, secondary education in some

countries includes a period of compulsory and non-compulsory education.

After secondary education, the next stage of education is usually a university.

Secondary education is characterized by transition from primary education

for minors to tertiary; higher education (university, vocational school) for

adults. Depending on the system, schools for this period or a part of it may be

called secondary schools, high schools, gymnasia, middle schools, colleges,

vocational schools and preparatory schools, and the exact meaning of any of

these varies between the systems.

In Nigeria, secondary education has been taken seriously right from its

earliest time, not only as an acceptable qualification but also as a gateway to a

sound higher education and profession (Adesina, 2005). Taiwo (2007) asserts

that the term secondary education has different meanings in different

countries. In the Nigerian context, Taiwo defines secondary education as a

 29

form of education suitable for a child who has gone through primary

education. Taiwo goes further to say that this definition covers the form of

education given in school which are described as secondary grammar,

secondary modern, commercial, technical, comprehensive, agric, pre-

vocational and all other forms, sort of imparting the actual skills of a

profession, vacation or trade.

Secondary school level is the bridge between the primary and tertiary

levels. The importance of secondary education made the federal government to

state the broad aims of secondary education as preparation for useful living

within the society and for higher education (Ayodele, 2002).Nigeria’s

philosophy of education at the secondary level, according to FRN (2004),

therefore, is based on the integration of individual into a sound and effective

citizen and equal educational opportunity of all citizens of the nation both inside

and outside the formal school system. In order to actualize the expectation and

intention of secondary education, the government planned that secondary

education should be for a six year duration , and be given in two stages – junior

secondary stage (3 years) and senior secondary stage (for another 3 years).

The junior secondary education is the form of education children

receive after primary education before entering senior secondary level of

education. The assumed age of the JSS is 12 to 15 years, though some may

run as from 14 – 17 years depending on the circumstances surrounding the

child’s learning condition. It normally lasts for a period of 3 years. Junior

 30

secondary prepares one for senior secondary education and those who cannot

continue with the academic work can then switch to vocational work, which

they have learnt during the 3 years of study for self-reliance. It is expected

that students who have schooled at junior stage may then go in for

apprenticeship or some other scheme out of school vocational training.

Senior secondary education is the form of education the children

receive after junior secondary school education and before tertiary education.

The assumed age is between 14 – 18 years and above. The general aim of

senior secondary school education, according to Federal Republic of Nigeria

(2004), is preparation for usefulness in the society and preparation for high

education. The Federal Republic of Nigeria is made up of thirty six states and

the federal capital territory. There are about two Federal Government

Colleges in each state. These schools are funded and managed by the Federal

Government through the Federal Ministry of Education. Teachers and staff

are Federal Government employees. Teachers at the Federal Government

Schools possess a Bachelor Degree in Education or in a particular subject

area, such as Mathematics, Physics, and English etc. These schools are

supposed to be model schools carrying and maintaining the ideals of

secondary education for Nigerian students.

Admission is based on merit, determined by the National Common

Entrance Examination taken by all final year elementary school pupils.

 31

Tuition and fees are very low because funding comes from the Federal

Government.

State owned secondary schools are funded by each State Government

and not comparable to Federal Government Colleges. Although education is

supposed to be free in the majority of the state owned institutions, students

are required to purchase books, uniforms and pay for miscellaneous things

costing them an average amount in an academic year. Teachers in state-

owned institutions usually have National Certificate in Education or a

Bachelor degree, but this is not always the case as many secondary schools in

Nigeria are filled with unqualified teachers who end up not being able to

motivate the students. Often these schools are understaffed due to low state

budgets, lack of incentives and irregularities in payment of staff salaries.

Private secondary schools in Nigeria tend to be quite expensive. These

schools have smaller classes (approximately twenty to thirty students per

class). These schools have modern equipment and a better environment. Most

teachers in these institutions possess at least a Bachelor degree in a specific

course area and are sent for workshop or short term in-service programmes on

a regular basis.

The General Certificate of Education Examination (GCE) was replaced

by Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE). The SSCE is

conducted at the end of the secondary school studies in May/June. The GCE

is conducted in October/November as a supplement for those students who

 32

did not get the required credits from their SSCE results (Federal Republic of

Nigeria, 2004). The standards of the two exams are basically the same and are

conducted by a body called West African Examination Council (WAEC) and

NECO. A maximum of nine and a minimum of seven subjects are registered

for examination by each student with mathematics and the English Language

taking as compulsory subjects.

A maximum of nine grades are assigned to each subject from A1, B2,

B3 (Equivalent to Distinctions Grade); C4, C5, C6 (Equivalent to Credit

Grade), D7, E8 (Just pass grade), F9 (Fail grade). Credit grades and above is

considered academically adequate for entry into any university in Nigeria. In

some study programmes, many of the universities may require higher grades

to get admission.

National Examination Council (NECO) is another examination body in

Nigeria Senior Secondary Examination (SSCE) in June/July (Federal

Republic of Nigeria, 2004). The body also administers General Certificate of

Education in Dec/January. The students often take both WAEC and NECO

examinations in SSS 3. Therefore the educational support by the parents is a

reflection of the parental level of education and the occupational

backgrounds.

Concept of Gender

From the sociological perspective, gender is not the same as sex, which

is the physical biological difference between man and woman. Keller and
 33

Keller (2004), define gender as the distinction in roles, behaviour, mental and

emotional characteristics between females and males developed by the

society. In other words, gender is a cultural construct, while sex is a

biological construct. By implication, females and males are not expected to

behave in the same way or play the same role in life.

From birth, males and females are treated differently (Amoka and

Okpara, 1996). The adolescent (males and females) are made to learn what

roles and responsibilities the society expects from them. Uche (2004)

observes that the Nigeria cultural system assigns traditional sex roles, which

are mutually exclusives to females and males. Uche (2004) further stresses

that some activities are branded abnormal for females but normal for males.

Assigning different expectations to male or female has made the

traditional society in some past years to believe that it is not natural for a

female child to be educated. Women basically are known for domestic work

and to marry early at a tender age for fear of being corrupt (Akanbi, 2004).

This has a lot of negative effects on the education of females such as low

enrolment of girls in formal education, unequal access to educational

opportunity and support for the girls and boys. The climax of such

discrimination is making the females to feel that they are exclusively

dependent on the males in decision making and other activities or venture in

life hence the female should not have higher ambitions in life.
 34

School environment and virtually all activities within it are gender-

biased in one way or the other. Mbah, (2005), opines that gender bias can be

seen in such aspects of the institutional life as administration, membership of

committees, involvement in union, style, resources, material, and in the use of

facilities. The number of women in administrative organs, like the senate

committee, the governing council and other similar administrative bodies in

institutions of higher learning reflects the low participation of women.

In the labour force, gender bias persists in Nigeria. More women, no

doubt, have been entering the labour force, but qualitative increase in

employment has not been matched by qualitative improvement in better

working conditions. Female children who read engineering courses are hardly

recruited in the professional sector. Rather they teach the course in schools.

Those employed hardly go for in-service training as the work situation may

require. A state security service hardly employs married women (Mikkola,

2005). The new generation banks do not employ married ladies. Where it is

done, certain conditions are attached to such recruitment. Despite these

inequalities, some females have made in-road into previously male dominated

occupations such as engineering, medicine, law, accountancy. However,

many intractable problems are yet to be tackled effectively by parents, family

members and the government. Gender sensitive policies and programmes, for

instance, are yet to be put in place.

 35

Parents train their children in stereotypical tasks. For instance, boys are

socialized to perform task that demand physical exertion and girl domestic

works. This is mostly as a result of cultural variation and stereotype (Akambi,

2004). Although educational opportunity has indeed greatly expanded for all

children in Africa and Nigeria in particular, there is still inbalance in the

educational access and support given to the male and female. It is expected

that the result of this study will help the parents and government in improving

the educational opportunity given to the adolescent in school.

Concept of Location

The term location refers to a place and is used to identify a point or an

area on the earth’s surface or elsewhere where people live and strive for their

own survival Gersmehl (2008). According to Bernes (2002), location refers to

rural and urban areas. Thus, Bernes further conceptualized urban schools as

those schools in the municipalities or schools found within the towns and

rural schools as located in the villages or semi-urban areas.

In addition, Frederick (2011) views school and parents location as the

major factors that influence educational support of students. As such

Frederick adds that many parents look at factors such as the location of

schools (urban or rural) and the distance to the school before enrolling their

wards. To that end, Owoeye and Yara (2011) note that many parents prefer

their children to attend schools in urban areas because they (parents) believe

that students from urban schools perform much better than their counterparts
 36

from rural schools. Thus Bernes (2002) explain that many students whose

parents live in the interior villages struggle with the challenge of walking a

long distance to school. The implication is that while parents in some urban

areas convey their children to school using vehicle and enjoy maximum

travelling distances to acquire education, some parents in other places suffer

by having covered maximum distances to acquire education. According to

Bernes, this may have contributed significantly to students’ poor achievement

in rural schools. Throwing light on location influence, Onuoha (2010) notes

that school and parents’ location are some of the potent factors that influence

educational support as well as distribution of educational resources and

academic achievement of students.

Writing on the influence of location on students’ educational support

and their academic achievement Frederick (2011) observes a significant

difference in urban-rural performance and that location exerted some

significant measure of influence on students’ achievement in Agricultural

Science Achievement Test (ASAT). Giving credence to the above, Owoeye

and Yara (2011) found a significant difference in the academic achievement

of students in urban and rural areas in senior school certificate. The

researchers therefore concluded that students in urban areas had better

support and academic achievement than their rural counterparts.

Similar view was expressed by Chenedu (2008) who carried out study

a study on environmental awareness and attitude of secondary school students

 37

in Owerri Education of Imo state. Thus, Chinedu’s findings revealed that

gender and location do not have influence on students’ level of awareness and

attitude.

From the review of various empirical studies on location, it is clear that

finding on location influence on academic achievement are not the same.

While some maintain that urban students perform better in examinations than

their rural counterparts, others have found that rural students (in spite of all

odds) perform better. Some have submitted in their findings and conclusion

that no particular set up (urban and rural) can claim superiority over the other

because their performance is the same. Precisely, Onuoha (2010) argues that

there is no significant difference between students’ academic achievement in

rural and urban areas. In another development, Considine and Zappala (2002)

studied the influence of social economic disadvantage on the academic

performance of school students in Australia and found out that parents’

geographical location does not significantly predict outcomes in school

performance. In view of these contradicting findings, it is necessary to carry

out further research to confirm or annul the otherwise protracted issue on the

influence of parents’ location on the educational support of secondary school

students in Jigawa and Kano states.

 38

Schematic Diagram of the Conceptual Framework

Parents’ Occupation Parents’ Education

Educational Support

Students

Fig. 1: Schematic representation of the influence of Parents’ Educational and

Occupational on educational support of secondary school students

Figure one (1) above represents the diagrammatic representation of the relationship
between the study variables – parents’ occupation, educational background and
educational support. The diagram showed that parents’ education influences
parents’ occupation and vice versa. Parents’ occupation and their educational
background in-turn influence the educational support they give to their children.
From the diagram, parents’ occupation and educational background are seen as
independent variables while the educational support they give to their children is
the dependent variable.
 39

Theoretical Framework

Social Learning Theory by Albert Bandura (1977)

Social learning theory was propounded by Albert Bandura (1977). The

theory states that behaviour is learned from the environment through the

process of observational learning. Individuals that are observed are called

models.

Social learning is a type of learning usually undertaken by a way of

observation or imitation through which an organism watches or observes

other organisms, or reject what they do so as not to be like them or be found

in their group. For instance, the dressing, comportment and the general status

of a teacher or father may be observed by the learner/child who may want to

be like the teacher or father. Such a learner might start to do what the

teacher/father does so as to be like the latter. Therefore, the theory added a

social element, arguing that people can learn new information and behaviour

by watching learning (or modeling).

The theory state that behaviour results from a continuous interaction

between significant factors. In a society, children are surrounded by many

influential models, such as parents within the family, peers and teachers at

school. From this theory, it is assumed that human behaviour is a function of

the person and the environment. The theory further maintains that
 40

performance in school learning is traceable to parental background

(educational and occupational) of the learners. This is because the family is

the first school of a child and the nature of such family in terms of

occupation, income, educational level may influence the performance of the

child in school. This theory is related to the present study because it has

highlighted a link between family/parental background and the student’s

performance in schools.

Maslow’s Theory of Motivational Needs (1962)

The theory of human needs was propounded by Maslow Abraham

(1962). According to the theory, unsatisfied needs create tension, make

individual unhappy, and make him not achieve his ambitions in life. Maslow

argues that humans are motivated by five essential needs. Maslow forms a

pyramid demonstrating these needs which he called the ‘hierarchy of needs”.

 41

Abraham Maslows’ Hierarchy of Needs

Self

Actualization

Esteem

Social

Safety

Physiological

In essence, the hierarchy of needs is arranged in order of strength.

Maslow suggests that fundamental needs must be satisfied first. That is, the

appearance of higher needs usually depends on the satisfaction of the lower

needs. These needs are arranged as follows: physiological needs (sleep, thirst

etc); safety need (freedom from anxiety and psychological threats). Care

needs (acceptance from parents and teachers). Esteem needs (mastery,

experience, confidence in one’s ability), need for self-actualization (creative

expression). Maslow suggests that unless a lower need is partially fulfilled; it

is difficult for a higher need to be satisfied fully. For example, a sleepy or

hungry student may not understand and concentrate fully in the classroom.
 42

Maslow proposes an interest notion of needs-deprivation and need

gratification. When an individual is deprived of basic needs, he would

certainly not be motivated to do something. The present study is anchored on

this theory because the provision of basic needs is very necessary to the self-

actualization of the adolescent. The secondary school students need to be

loved and comforted. However, these needs cannot be achieved without the

proper support given by the parents to the students.

Review of Empirical Studies

Some specific studies carried out both inside and outside Nigeria,

which are related to the present study, were considered:

Studies on Parents’ Occupation and Educational Support

Akinsanya, Ajayi and Salomi 2011) conducted a study on the relative

effects of parents’ occupation, qualification and academic motivation of

wards on students’ achievements in senior secondary school mathematics in

Ogun State, Nigeria. The study employed ex-post facto type of research and

the sample was selected using the multi-stage sampling technique. The

population of the study was 2,400 out of which 320 students were drawn as

the sample of the study. Students’ questionnaire was used as instrument of

data collection. The data was analyzed using regression. The hypotheses were

tested at 0.05 level of significance. The results revealed that parents’

education has the highest significant influence on the academic achievement

of students in Mathematics, while the effect of academic motivation had the

 43

least effect among the variables which exerted significant effects on students’

academic achievement in Mathematics. Particularly, the result of the study

revealed that parents’ occupation which is next to parents’ education predicts

academic achievement of students. The result provide evidence that students

whose parents belong to the high ranking occupational status have a better

grade in Mathematics than their counterparts whose parents belong to the low

ranking occupational status. This is because parents with high ranking

occupational status might have enough income which can allow them to

provide the needed materials and support for their children in order to arouse

their interest in Mathematics than their counterparts in low ranking

occupation whose major obligation is to provide shelter and food for the

family. This is related to the present study.

Udida, Ukwayi and Ogodo (2012) carried out a study on parental

background as determinants of students’ academic performance in selected

public secondary schools in Calabar Municipal Local Government area of

Cross Rivers State. The population of the study was 114 students. 48 students

selected as samples for the study. The instrument used in data collection was

questionnaire. Also, data on student’s academic performance were obtained

from student’s scores in four selected subjects. Data obtained were analyzed

using descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. The hypotheses were

tested at 0.05 level of significance. The study identified parental occupation

 44

as the main predictive variable influencing student’s academic performance.

This study has relevance with the present study.

Osunwa (2003) carried out a study on parental occupation as a

determinant to educational support of Senior Secondary School students in

Ibadan, Nigeria. The study employed the use of descriptive research design.

The population of the study was 512 students. A sample of 180 students was

selected through simple random sampling technique. The instrument used in

data collection was questionnaire. The data were analyzed using simple

percentage and multiple regression analysis (ANOVA), hypotheses were

tested at 0.05 level of significance. The result showed that there is a

significant relationship between parental occupation and educational support

of secondary school students. This study is related to the present study.

Studies on Parental Level of Education and Educational Support

Funmilola, Eunice, Olufunmilayo and Emmanuel (2013) did a research

on the influence of parents’ educational background and study facilities on

academic performance among secondary school students in Ondo state,

Nigeria. It was a survey design. The population for the study comprised all

public secondary school students in Ondo State totalling 580 students. The

sample consisted of 240 students from 6 randomly selected schools. A

questionnaire tagged ‘Academic performance Questionnaire’ was used to

collect data. Data collected were analyzed by using t-test. The result revealed

a significant difference between academic performance of students from

 45

parents with high educational background and students from parents with low

educational background. A significant difference was also found between the

academic performance of students having study facilities at home and

students with no study facilities at home. It was concluded from the results

that parental educational background and having study facilities at home have

great influence on academic performance. That study is similar to the present

study which seeks to find out the influence of parents’ education and the

support parents gives to their children at home.

Anyika (2007) carried out a study on the effect of home background on

academic performance of some adolescents in secondary schools in Onitsha

North Local Government Area of Anambra state. The design was a survey

research design. The population comprised 1200 students. 120 students were

drawn as sample for the study. The instrument used in data collection was a

questionnaire. The data collected were analyzed using Analysis of Variance.

The hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The findings

revealed among others that there was no significant difference between

achievement of boys and girls in the post test, when the parent’s education

was taken into consideration. And also the results indicated that the students

whose parents are educated and gave them effective support performed better

than their peer counterparts. These data provided evidence that parents retain

substantial influence over the education of their children. That study has

relevance with the present study.

 46

Garba (2009) conducted a study on parental level of education and

academic achievements of students in Yobe State, Nigeria. The study adopted

survey research design. The study target population was 3800 students in

Yobe secondary schools irrespective of parental level of education. A sample

size of 361 pupils was drawn from all the local government areas in the state

including rural and urban schools using purposive sampling procedure. The

instrument used in data collection was a Psychological Profile Assessment

Battery (PPAB).The data collected were analyzed using t-test and regression.

The hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The finding of the

study revealed, among others, that parental level of education played a

significant role in supporting school children educationally. And that students

whose parents are educated received much care and support than those that

their parents are illiterate. This is in line with the findings of the present

study.

Bala (2010) conducted a study on parental level of education and

educational support among Secondary School Students in Kaduna state,

Nigeria. Descriptive survey research design was used in the study. The

population of the study comprised all the secondary school students totalling

4600 students. Stratified random sampling procedure was used in selecting

the sample. 320 students were used as the sample size. The instrument for

data collection was questionnaire. Data collected were analyzed using simple

percentage, t-test and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The null hypotheses

 47

were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The finding of the study revealed

that parental level of education is positively related to students’ educational

support. That study is related to the present study; but it is limited in scope.

Studies on Location and Educational Support

Abafita and Kim (2014) conducted a study on children’s schooling in

rural Ethiopia: the role of household food security, parental education and

income. The researchers employed descriptive survey research design.

Samples of 125 households were drawn from a population of 400 households

using simple random sampling technique. The instrument used in data

collection was questionnaire. The hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of

significance. The results of the study revealed that parent’s locations had a

significant influence on the educational support of students. This is in line

with what the present study seeks to ascertain.

Moula (2010) carried out a study on the relationship between academic

achievements, motivation and home environment among standard eight

pupils from Machakos district in Kenya. It was a survey design. The

population of the study was 235 standard eight Kenyan pupils from six urban

and rural schools of Machakos district. 120 students were randomly selected

as samples of the study. Their ages ranged between 13 and 17. The

instrument used in data collection was questionnaire. The data collected were

analyzed using regression. The hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of

significance. The findings of the study revealed that parental encouragement

 48

was the only factor that was not significantly related to academic

achievement motivation. Although these correlations are low, they showed

that pupils’ motivation to do well in academic work is to some extent on the

nature of their location (home environment). This finding is related to the

present study as it seeks to determine the influence of location on the

students’ educational support.

Ogunshola and Adewale (2012) carried out a study on the relationship

between home-based environment factors and the academic performance of

students in selected secondary schools within a local government area in

Kwara State, Nigeria. The population of the study was 580 students. 180

students were obtained as sample of the study. Questionnaire was used as

instrument of data collection. The data was analyzed using multiple

regressions. The hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The

findings of the study revealed that parental educational background did not

have significant effect on the academic performance of the students.

However, the parental educational qualification and health status of the

students were identified to have statistical significant effect on the students’

academic performance. The two variables that indicated significant influence

do reflect nature of the parents’ location (home environment) and played

notable roles on the educational support of the students. The study is related

to the present study.

 49

Studies on Gender and Educational Support

Ademola (2004) investigated the influence of gender on the educational

support of students in Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, Nigeria. It was a survey

research. The population of the study was 820 students (male and female),

240 students were drawn as sample for the study. The instrument used in data

collection was questionnaire. The null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of

significance. The statistical analysis was done using regression. The findings

of the study revealed that there is a significant relationship between gender

and the educational support. This study under review is related to the present

study.

Garba and Tukur (2007) investigated the influence of parents’ gender

on the provision of educational support to secondary school students in

Sokoto State, Nigeria. The population of the study was 600 rural households

of Sokoto State, Nigeria out of which 200 households were drawn as sample

for the study. A questionnaire was used as instrument for the study. Analysis

of Variance was used as tool for statistical analysis. The hypotheses were

tested at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study revealed the

extent to which poverty and household demographic characteristics may

affect educational attainment and school attendance of children. And the

results confirmed significant gender disparity in educational attainment and

school attendance, with female children at a serious disadvantage. This is

what the present study seeks to find out.

 50

Musa and Alice (2013) examined the influence of gender, geographical

locations, achievement goals and academic performance of senior secondary

school students in Borno State, Nigeria. The population of the study was

4,600 students. The sample consisted of 827 students from 18 public boarding

secondary schools across south and north of Borno state: 414 (550.1 per cent)

males and 413 (49.9 per cent) and females (50.1 per cent) are from south of

Borno state, 413 (49.9 per cent) from north of Borno state, respectively. An

achievement Goals Scale with a Crombach alpha of 0.64 was used to measure

achievement goals. Test in English and Mathematics were used to measure

academic performance in English and Mathematics and overall academic

performance. The data were analyzed using MANAVA statistics. The results

revealed that male students are more learning goal oriented and also

performed significantly better than females in English and overall academic

performance but not in Mathematics. Students from southern Borno state are

more learning goal oriented and performed significantly better than those

from northern Borno state in English, Mathematics and overall academic

performance. Geographical locations moderate the effect of gender on

students’ learning goal, Mathematics and overall academic performance. This

study is related to the present study as it seeks to find out the influence of

gender and locations on the students’ academic performance.

 51

Summary of Literature Review

The literature for the study focused on four main headings, conceptual

framework, theoretical framework, empirical studies and summary of

literature review. Under the conceptual framework, the concepts of parent,

occupation, education, educational support, secondary education, gender and

location were reviewed. Parents are special grouping usually of biological in

related persons bound by strong ties of intimacy and caring. The parents

have the responsibility to provide attention, support, love, affection and

education to meet the physical, mental and social needs of the children.

Occupation refers to the kind of work performed or carried out by a particular

worker or people for a wage or profit. Education is the process of teaching

and learning especially in schools to improve knowledge and skills.

Educational support on the other hand, means helping and guiding school

children by providing educational materials to them.

Albert Bandura’s social learning theory and a motivational theory of

needs of Abraham Maslow were also reviewed. The social learning theory

maintains that performance in school learning is traceable to parental

background (occupational and educational) of the learners. This is because

the family is the first school of a child and the nature of such family in terms

of occupation, and educational level may influence the performance of child

in school. The Maslow’s theory of motivational needs asserts that unsatisfied

needs create tension, make individual unhappy and make him not achieve his
 52

ambitions in life. The theory further stresses that satisfaction of basic needs

are necessary to the self actualization of the adolescent, and that unless a

lower need is partially fulfilled, it is difficult for a higher need to be satisfied

fully.

A lot of empirical work appears to have been done in relation to the

present study. Unfortunately, some of these studies were carried out in

different geographical locations that are quite different with the study areas.

More so, some of these studies also differ in the design used in conducting

their studies. This creates a gap which the present study intends to fill.
 53

CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHOD

This chapter focuses on the research method under the following sub-

headings: research design, area of the study, population of the study, sample

and sampling technique, instrument for data collection, validation of the

instrument, reliability of the instrument, method of data collection, and

method of data analysis.

Design of the Study

This study adopted Ex-post - facto research design. Ex post facto

design is a non-experimental research technique in which pre-existing groups

are compared on some dependent variables (Lammers, 2010). It is the designs

that compares two or more groups of individuals with similar backgrounds

but were exposed to different conditions as a result of their natural histories.

The present study seeks to establish a degree of relationship between parents’

occupational and educational background and the educational support of

secondary school students. This design is very appropriate where it is not

possible for the researcher to directly manipulate the independent variables.

The reason for choosing this research design is because it is the most

appropriate type that could help the researcher to identify the characteristic of

the population.

53
 54

Area of the Study

The areas of study are Kano and Jigawa states. The two states share a

lot of characteristics in common. The majority of the populace are farmers,

traders, Muslims by Religion and Hausa by tribe.

Kano State is a State located in North-Western Nigeria created on May

27, 1967 from part of the Northern Region. Kano State borders Katsina State

to the North-West, Jigawa to the North-East, Bauchi State to the South-East

and Kaduna State to the South-West. The capital of Kano State is Kano.

Jigawa State is situated in the North-Western part of the country. Kano

State and Katsina State border Jigawa to the West, Bauchi State to the East

and Yobe State to the Northeast. To the north, Jigawa shares an international

border with Zinder Region in the Republic of Niger, which is a unique

opportunity for cross-border trading activities.

The secondary school students from the two states were selected

because of the researcher’s familiarity with their environments, accessibility

as well as their characteristics in terms of the topic under study. Besides, all

the secondary school students of the two states share greater homogeneity in

term of ethnic and religious characteristics. More so, the political, economic

and social lives of the people of the study areas are almost the same in terms

of features and characteristics. The two states have 1,011 secondary schools.
 55

Population of the Study

The population of the study comprised all the senior secondary school

students attending public schools in Kano and Jigawa States, totalling

582,359. The population of the secondary school students in Jigawa State

presently at the time of this study is 75,298 total enrolment figure and 134

senior secondary schools (JSG 2014). A breakdown of the population by

gender shows that 22,410 are females while 52,888 are males. Kano State on

the other hand, has a total number of 507,061 students and 877 senior

secondary schools (KSG 2014). The breakdown of population by gender

shows that 198,504 are females while 308,558 are males. Therefore, the total

population for the study consisted of 582,359 students of Kano and Jigawa

States. (See Appendix C page 109).

Sample and Sampling Technique

The sample of this study comprised of 400 secondary school students

in Jigawa and Kano States. The sample was selected through multi-stage and

proportionate random sampling technique.

In stage one, the selection was done from the zonal education offices

where 4 zonal education offices out of the 9 zonal education offices were

selected from Jigawa state. Again, 6 zonal education offices were selected

from the 14 zonal education offices in Kano state. Which give a total of 10

zonal education offices selected.

 56

In this stage, was the selection of sample from the schools. Out of the 10

selected zonal education offices in Jigawa and Kano states, 4 and 12

secondary schools were randomly selected to form the sample of 16

secondary schools in Jigawa and Kano states, that is Kano 378 schools and

Jigawa 71 schools which give a total of 449 schools selected.

In this stage, 25 students from the 16 schools were randomly selected to

form the sample of 400 students for this study. This comprised 300 male and

100 female students.

This sample is justified by the fact that R.V. Morgan table for determining

random sampling size from a given population indicated that in a population

of one million, a sample of 384 is considered justifiable. (See Appendix F

page 143).

Instrument of Data Collection

The instrument used in data collection was self-developed

questionnaire titled: Influence of Parents’ Educational and Occupational

Background on Educational Support of Secondary School Students

Questionnaire (IOPEOB). The questionnaire has two sections. Section 1

contains information on personal data of the subjects, such as: gender, school

and location. Section 2 deals with items on the educational support which

contained 15 items. The instrument is a four-point rating-scale with the

responses quantified in form of strongly agrees (4 points), agree (3 points),

disagree (2 points) and strongly disagree (1 point). (See Appendix A page 93)
 57

The respondents were requested to indicate the level of agreement for each

item by ticking. (√ ).( See Appendix A page 97).

Validation of the Instrument

The initial draft of the instrument was validated by three experts one

from the field of Sociology of Education, one from the department of

Measurement and Evaluation, and one from the Library Science Department

all in the Faculty of Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. The experts

were requested to study the items and assess the relevance and clarity of the

items based on the purpose of the study, research questions and research

hypotheses given to them. On the basis of the expert comments and

contributions, necessary corrections were effected for the final draft of the

questionnaire.

Reliability of the Instrument

A trail testing of the instrument was done to establish its reliability.

The instrument was administered to 50 students from the senior secondary

school Babban Mutum (Katsina State) which is not part of the study area. The

reliability correlation index has been computed using Crombach Alpha

statistics. The reliability coefficient was 0.98. (See Appendix E page 144).

Method of Data Collection

The questionnaire was administered to the respondents through face to

face delivery method. The exercise was done with the help of five research

assistants. The researcher spent three weeks visiting the various sampled
 58

schools in both Kano and Jigawa states. The instruments were filled and

retrieved on the spot, except in some places where time could not allow the

collection of the filled instruments on that day. In such situation, the copies

were left under the care of some teachers of that particular school and

collection was done in later days. This made a number of copies of the

instruments to be lost in transit.

Method of Data Analysis

The data collected was analyzed using frequencies and percentages to

answer the research questions. Chi-square was used to test the null

hypotheses. However, for research question 1, the rating was scored such that

the maximum score is 60 points. Therefore, the grouping was such that: 50-

60 correspond to High level, 30-49 correspond to Moderate level and 0-29

corresponds to Low level.

 59

CHAPTER FOUR

RESULTS

This chapter presents the results of the data analysis for the study.

These results are presented in accordance with the research questions and

hypotheses that guided the study.

Research Question 1

What are the levels of the educational support by parents to the

students of secondary school in Jigawa and Kano States?

Table 1: Frequency and percentage of parental levels of educational

support
Levels Frequency Percent
Low 40 10.2

Moderate 322 82.4

High 29 7.4

Total 391 100.0

Table 1 shows frequencies and percentages of parental levels of

educational support of secondary school students in Jigawa and Kano States.

From the table, the proportion of parents that belong to low level of education

support is 10.2 percent; the proportion of parents that belong to moderate

level of education support is 82.4 percent; and the proportion of parents that

belong to high level of education support is 7.4 percent. This implies that

majority of the parents belong to low and moderate levels of educational

support of secondary school students in Jigawa and Kano States.

59
 60

Research Question 2

What is the influence of parents’ occupation on the level of educational

support to the students?
Table 2: Fathers’ occupations across their Level of educational support
to the students
Level of Educational Support
Father Occupations Low Moderate High
Freq Percent Freq Percent Freq Percent
Doctor 7 2 30 8 2 1
Pharmacist 0 0 4 1 1 0
Engineer 0 0 34 9 4 1
Judge 1 0 5 1 2 1
Lecturer 0 0 10 3 1 0
Teacher 11 3 74 19 4 1
Head teacher 1 0 8 2 0 0
Clerk 0 0 4 1 1 0
Principal 1 0 7 2 0 0
Lawyer 0 0 5 1 0 0
Architect 2 1 18 5 2 1
Bank Manager 0 0 4 1 0 0
Manager in govt. owned company 0 0 2 1 0 0
Private company 0 0 3 1 0 0
Office manager 0 0 9 2 0 0
Importer and exporter 0 0 9 2 0 0
Whole sellers 3 1 20 5 1 0
private contractor 0 0 3 1 0 0
Politician 1 0 8 2 3 1
Retailer 6 2 22 6 0 0
Iron bender 0 0 4 1 0 0
Technicians 0 0 15 4 2 1
Electrician 0 0 3 1 0 0
Mason 0 0 1 0 0 0
Tailor 4 1 10 3 5 1
Carpenter 0 0 1 0 0 0
Guard man 2 1 4 1 0 0
Farmer 1 0 3 1 0 0
Cleaner conductor 0 0 1 0 0 0
Total 40 10 321 83 28 7

Table 2 shows the fathers’ occupations across their level of educational

support to the students in Jigawa and Kano States. The result reveals that

majority of fathers that are Doctors, Engineers, Lecturer, Teachers,

Architects, Office Manager, Importer and Exporter, Whole Sellers, Retailer,

 61

Technicians, and Tailor belong to moderate level of educational support to

the students with percentage of 83 percent and 7 percent. This result indicates

that fathers’ occupations have influence on their levels of educational support

to the students.

Table 3: Mothers’ Occupations across their level of educational support

to the students
Mother Level of Educational Support
Occupation Low Moderate High
Freq Percentage Freq Percentage Freq Percentage
Doctor 0 0 26 7 4 1
Pharmacist 0 0 3 1 1 0
Lecturer 0 0 1 0 0 0
Teacher 9 2 54 14 0 0
Head teacher 0 0 6 2 0 0
Clerk 0 0 3 1 0 0
Principal 2 1 0 0 0 0
Lawyer 0 0 1 0 0 0
Architect 0 0 1 0 0 0
Bank manager 0 0 5 1 0 0
Office manger 0 0 1 0 0 0
Importer and 0 0 3 1 1 0
Exporter
Whole seller 4 1 14 4 1 0
Retailer 5 1 29 7 1 0
Tailor 7 2 75 19 9 2
Hair plating 7 2 72 19 7 2
Body makeup 0 0 14 4 1 0
Farmer 6 2 12 3 3 1
Conductor 0 0 1 0 0 0
Total 40 10 321 83 28 7

Table 3 shows the mothers’ occupations across their level of

educational support to the students in Jigawa and Kano States. The result

reveals that majority of mothers that are Doctors, Teachers, Head Teachers,

Whole Sellers, Retailer, Tailor, Hair dressers, Body artistes and Farmers

belong to moderate level of educational support to the students. This result

 62

shows that mothers’ occupations have influence on their levels of educational

support to the students.

Research Question 3

What is the influence of parents’ level of education on the level of

educational support to the students?

Table 4: Fathers’ level of education across their level of educational

support to the students
Father educational Level of Educational Support
Level Low Moderate High
Freq Percentage Freq Percentage Freq Percentage
University degree and 14 4 95 24 8 2
above
Diploma 13 3 113 29 12 3
NCE 13 3 85 22 3 1
Secondary school
certificate 0 0 24 6 5 1
primary school/ Adult
literacy 0 0 5 1 1 0
Total 40 10 322 82 29 7

Table 4 shows fathers’ level of education across their levels of educational

support to the students Jigawa and Kano States. The results reveals that

majority of the fathers with University degree and above, belong to moderate

level 24 percent; majority of the fathers with Diploma belong to moderate

level 29 percent; majority of the fathers with NCE belong to moderate level

22 percent; and majority of the fathers with secondary school certificate

belong to moderate level 6 percent. The result implies that fathers’ levels of

education have influence on their levels of educational support to the

students.
 63

Table 5: Mothers’ Level of Education across their Level of Educational Support to

the Students
Mother Education Level of Educational Support Total
Level Low Moderate High
Freq Percentage Freq Percentage Freq Percentage
University degree
and above 2 1 16 4 2 1 20
Diploma 11 3 92 24 6 2 109
NCE 23 6 159 41 15 4 197
Secondary school
certificate 4 1 33 8 2 1 39
Primary school/
Adult literacy 0 0 22 6 4 1 26
Total 40 10 322 82 29 7 391

Table 5 shows mothers’ level of education across their levels of

educational support to the students Jigawa and Kano States. The results

reveals that majority of the mothers with University degree and above, belong

to moderate level 4 percent; majority of the mothers with Diploma belong to

moderate level 24 percent; majority of the mothers with NCE belong to

moderate level 41 percent; and majority of the mothers with secondary school

certificate belong to moderate level 8 percents. The result implies that fathers’

levels of education have influence on their levels of educational support to

the students.

Research Question 4

What is the influence of students’ gender on the level of their

educational support?
 64

Table 6: students’ gender across the level of their educational support

Level of Educational Support
Students’
Low Moderate High
gender
Freq Percentage Freq Percentage Freq Percentage
Male 15 4 126 32 15 4
Female 25 6 196 50 14 4
Total 40 10 322 82 29 7
Table 6 shows the students’ gender across the level of their educational

support in Jigawa and Kano States. The results on the table revealed that

majority of male students belong to moderate level of education support with

32 percent and 15 percent of the male students belonging to high level of

education support. On the other hand, majority of female students belong to

moderate level of education support with 50 percent and 14 percent of the

male students belong to high level of education support. However, the

percentages of female that belong to both moderate and high levels of

educational support i.e. 50, 14 are higher than that of their male counterpart,

i.e. 32, 15. In other words, it can be seen that there is influence of students’

gender on the level of their educational support.

Research Question 5

What is the influence of parents’ location on the level of educational

support to the students?

Table 7: Parents’ location across the level of educational support

Level of Educational Support
Parents’ Location Low Moderate High
Freq Percentage Freq Percentage Freq Percentage
Urban 14 4 132 34 9 2
Rural 26 7 190 49 20 5
Total 40 10 322 82 29 7
 65

Table 7 shows parents’ location across the level of educational support

in Jigawa and Kano States. The result on the table revealed that majority of

parents in urban location belong to moderate level of education support with

34 percent and 2 percent of the parents located in urban belonging to high

level of education support. On the other hand, majority of parents located in

rural areas belong to moderate level of education support with 49 percent and

5 percent of the parents located in rural belong to high level of education

support. However, the percentages of parents located in the rural area that

belong to both moderate and high levels of educational support are higher

than that of their urban located parents’ counterpart, i. e. 34 and 49 percent

respectively. As a result, it can be seen that there is influence of parents’

location on the level of their educational support.

Hypotheses
The following null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study and

were tested at 0.05 level of significance.

HO1: There is no significant difference between the frequencies of ratings of

the educational support to the students based on parents’ occupations.

 66

Table 8: Chi-Square for Testing Significant Difference between the

Frequencies of Ratings of the Educational Support to the
Students based on Fathers’ Occupations
Father Occupation Value Df Asymp. Sig. (2-sided)
Chi-Square 60.75 56 .309

Likelihood Ratio 69.38 56 .108

Linear-by-Linear
.16 1 .690
Association

N of Valid Cases 389

Table 8 shows Chi-Square for testing significant difference between

the frequencies of ratings of the educational support to the students based on

fathers’ occupations. The value of Chi-Square is 60.75. This value of Chi-

Square is significant at 0.30. However, this same value of Chi-Square is not

significant at 0.05. This is because 0.05 is less than 0. 309, that is, (p = 0. 30;

0.05 < 0. 30). Therefore, the null hypothesis is not rejected; hence, there is no

significant difference between the frequencies of ratings of the educational

support to the students based on fathers’ occupations.

Table 9: Chi-Square for testing significant difference between the

frequencies of ratings of the educational support to the students
based on mothers’ levels of occupations
Mother Occupation Value Df Asymp. Sig.
(2-sided)
Chi-Square 53.78 36 .029
Likelihood Ratio 54.20 36 .026
Linear-by-Linear .39 1 .534
Association
N of Valid Cases 389
 67

Table 9 shows Chi-Square for testing significant difference between

the frequencies of ratings of the educational support to the students based on

mothers’ occupations. The value of Chi-Square is 53.78. This value of Chi-

Square is significant at 0.029. Similarly, this same value of Chi-Square is also

significant at 0.05. This is because 0.05 is greater than 0. 029, that is, (p = 0.

0.029; 0.05 > 0.02). Therefore, the null hypothesis is not accepted; hence,

there is significant difference between the frequencies of ratings of the

educational support to the students based on mothers’ occupations.

HO2: There is no significant difference between the frequencies of ratings of

the educational support to the students based on parental levels of
education.
Table 10: Chi-Square for Testing Significant Difference between the
Frequencies of Ratings of the Educational Support to the
Students based on Fathers’ Levels of Education
Father Educational Level Value df Asymp. Sig. (2-sided)

Chi-Square 12.28 8 .139

Likelihood Ratio 15.36 8 .053
Linear-by-Linear Association 1.71 1 .191
N of Valid Cases 391

Table 10 shows Chi-Square for testing significant difference between

the frequencies of ratings of the educational support to the students

based on fathers’ levels of education. The value of Chi-Square is 12.28.

This value of Chi-Square is significant at 0.139. However, this same

value of Chi-Square is not significant at 0.05. This is because 0.05 is

less than 0.139, that is, (p = 0.13; 0.05 < 0.13).

 68

Table 11: Chi-Square for Testing Significant Difference between the

Frequencies of Ratings of the Educational Support to the Students
based on Mothers’ Levels of Education
Mother Educational Level Value Df Asymp. Sig. (2-sided)
Chi-Square 6.47 8 .595

Likelihood Ratio 8.65 8 .373

Linear-by-Linear Association 1.54 1 .214

N of Valid Cases 391

Table 11 shows Chi-Square for testing significant difference between

the frequencies of ratings of the educational support to the students based on

mothers’ levels of education. The value of Chi-Square is 6.47. This value of

Chi-Square is significant at 0.59. However, this same value of Chi-Square is

not significant at 0.05. This is because 0.05 is less than 0. 59, that is, (p = 0.

595; 0.05 < 0. 59). From the tables 9 and 10, the null hypothesis is not

rejected; hence, there is no significant difference between the frequencies of

ratings of the educational support to the students based on parental levels of

education.

HO3: There is no significant difference between the frequencies of ratings of

the educational support to the students based on students’ gender.

 69

Table 12: Chi-Square for Testing Significant Difference between the

Frequencies of Ratings of the Educational Support to the Students based
on students’ gender
Students Sex Value Df Asymp. Sig.
(2-sided)
Chi-Square 1.87 2 .393

Likelihood Ratio 1.83 2 .401

Linear-by-Linear 1.17 1 .280

Association

N of Valid Cases 391

Table 12 shows Chi-Square for testing significant difference between

the frequencies of ratings of the educational support to the students based on

students’ gender. The value of Chi-Square is 1.87. This value of Chi-Square

is significant at 0.39. Similarly, this same value of Chi-Square is also

significant at 0.05. This is because 0.05 is less than 0.39, that is, (p = 0.39;

0.05 < 0.39). Therefore, the null hypothesis is not rejected; hence, there is no

significant difference between the frequencies of ratings of the educational

support to the students based on students’ gender.

HO4: There is no significant difference between the ratings of the

educational support to the students based on parents’ location.

 70

Table 13: Chi-Square for testing significant difference between the

frequencies of ratings of the educational support to the students
based on parents’ location
Parents’ Location Value Df Asymp. Sig.
(2-sided)
Pearson Chi-Square 1.50 2 .471

Likelihood Ratio 1.54 2 .464

Linear-by-Linear
.03 1 .875
Association

N of Valid Cases 391

Table 13 shows Chi-Square for testing significant difference between

the frequencies of ratings of the educational support to the students based on

parents’ location. The value of Chi-Square is 1.50. This value of Chi-Square

is significant at 0.47. Similarly, this same value of Chi-Square is also

significant at 0.05. This is because 0.05 is less than 0.47, that is, (p = 0.471;

0.05 < 0.47). Therefore, the null hypothesis is not rejected; hence, there is no

significant difference between the frequencies of ratings of the educational

support to the students based on parents’ location.

 71

Summary of Findings

Based on the results from the analysis, the following are the summary of the findings.

1. Majority of the parents gave low and moderate levels of educational

support to their children in Jigawa and Kano States.

2. Parents’ occupations have influence on their levels of educational

support to the students

3. Parents’ levels of education have influence on their levels of educational

support to the students.

4. There is influence of students’ gender on the level of their educational

support to the students.

5. There is influence of parents’ location on the level of their educational

support to the students.

6. There is no significant difference between the frequencies of ratings of

the educational support to the students based on parents’ occupation.

7. There is significant difference between the frequencies of ratings of the

educational support to the students based on parental levels of education.

8. There is no significant difference between the frequencies of ratings of

the educational support to the students based on students’ gender.

9. There is no significant difference between the frequencies of ratings of

the educational support to the students based on parents’ locations.

 72

CHAPTER FIVE

DISCUSSION OF RESULTS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS,

This chapter focuses on the discussion of major findings of the study,

conclusion and recommendations. The chapter equally highlighted the

implications of the study; limitation of the study, suggestions for further

studies and summary of the study.

Discussion of Results

The results were discussed according to the corresponding research

questions and hypotheses.

What are the levels of educational support by parents to the

students of secondary schools in Jigawa and Kano states?

The outcome of the study showed that the majority of the parents in Jigawa

and Kano states gave low and moderate level of educational support to

secondary school students. This is in conformity with the findings of Li-

Grining (2007) and Walter (2008) who discovered that parents and their lack

of education and understanding of the needs of children may spell doom for

his academic success. This result answers the research question one.

What is the influence of parents’ occupation on the level of

educational support to the students?

The result of this study showed that parents’ occupation (father and mother)

in Jigawa and Kano states influence the educational support of secondary

school students. The results indicated that the majority of fathers that are

72
 73

doctors, teachers, architects, office manager, etc, have moderate levels.

Pertaining to the mother’s occupation, the result revealed that majority of

mothers that are doctors, teachers, tailor, hair dressers, makeup artistes etc

belong to moderate level of educational support to the students. This indicates

that father’s and mother’s occupations have influence on the educational

support to the students. The result of the study is consistent with those of

Udidi, Ukwayi, and Ogudo (2012) who discovered that parents’ occupation

influences student’s academic performance.

Hypothesis one also attempted to determine whether there is

significant difference between the frequencies of ratings of the educational

support to the students based on parents’ occupations. The results of the chi-

square indicated a significant difference between the parents’ occupation

(father and mother) and the educational support to the students. This finding

agrees with the findings of Osunwa (2003) who found out that there is

significant relationship between the parents’ occupation and the students’

educational support with regard to the mothers’ occupation. The finding is

also supported by that of Simon (2000) and Sharma (2004) who revealed that

parents’ occupations appear to influence the level and direction of children’s

academic performance.
 74

What is the influence of parental level of education on the

educational support to the students?

The result of this study showed that students whose parents have moderate

educational attainment give educational support more than the illiterate

parents. The result also revealed that majority of the fathers with university

degree; diploma, N.C.E and secondary school certificate belong to moderate

levels. And, for mother’s education, the result revealed that majority of the

mothers with university degree and above, N.C.E and secondary school

certificate belong to the moderate level of the educational support. In all the

results, it indeed showed that parental levels of education have influence on

their levels of educational support to the students. This finding in this present

study agrees with the findings of Garba (2009) who found out that parental

level of education has a significant role to play in the educational support of

students.

Hypothesis two asked whether there is any significant difference

between the frequencies of ratings of the educational support to the students

based on parents’ level of education. The result of this study showed that

there is no significant difference between the frequencies of ratings of

educational support to the student based on parental levels of education. The

findings of this study agree with the findings of Anyika (2007) who found out

that there was no significant difference between achievement of boys and

girls in the post test when parents’ level of education is taken into
 75

consideration. Also the result indicated that the students whose parents are

educated provide more effective support to their children and performed

much better than their counterparts. This finding is also consistent with the

findings of Akinsaya, Ajayi, and Salomi (2011) that discovered that parents’

education has the highest significant influence on the academic achievement

of students. The finding of this study is also in line with the finding of Garba

(2009) and Bala (2010) who showed that there is no significant difference

between the parental levels of education and the educational support to the

students.

What is the influence of students’ gender on the level of educational

support to the students by their parents?

The findings of this study revealed that students’ gender has influence

on the educational support of secondary school students in Jigawa and Kano

states. The result revealed that majority of male and female students belong to

moderate level of educational support. Therefore, it can be said that there is

influence of students’ gender on the level of educational support. The finding

in this present study agrees with the finding of Ademola (2004) who found

out that there is a positive relationship between gender and the educational

support to the students.

Hypothesis three also determined the significant difference between the

frequencies of ratings of the educational support to the students based on

students’ gender. The result from the statistical analysis revealed that there is
 76

no significant difference between the frequencies of ratings of the educational

support to the students based on the students’ gender. The finding of this

study agrees with the finding of Ademola (2004) and Musa and Alice (2013)

who found out that there was no significant difference between the students’

gender and the educational support to students.

What is the influence of parents’ location on the level of educational

support to the students?

The outcome of the study indicates that there is influence of parents’

location on the level of educational support of secondary school students in

Jigawa and Kano states. The results showed that both the parents that are

located in rural and urban locations belong to both moderate and high levels

of educational support. So, the result revealed that there is influence of

parents’ location on the level of educational support to the students. The

finding in this present study agrees with the finding of Moula (2010) who

discovered that students’ motivation (support) which makes them to do well

in academic work is to some extent dependent on the nature of their parents’

location.

Finally, the last hypothesis tried at determining whether there is

significant difference between the frequencies of ratings of the educational

support to the students based on parents’ location. The results of this study

revealed that there is no significant difference between the educational

support and the parents’ location. The findings in this study is consistent with
 77

the finding of Abafita and Kim (2010) who found out that parents’ locations

have a significant influence on the educational support to the students. This

present finding also agrees with the findings of Ogunshola and Ademola

(2012) and Musa and Alice (2013) who found out that geographical location

of parents play a notable role on the educational support of students.

Conclusion

The occupation of parents always influences the extent of educational

support they give to their children. All parents, irrespective of their

occupational level try to guide their wards to attain higher educational

standard as a means of improving the family socio-economic status through

proper educational support. Findings indicated that the fathers’ occupational

level is more significant than that of the mother in influencing the educational

support of the children.

Parental level of education influences the type of educational support

they give to their wards. The results indicated that the education of both

parents has influence on the educational support to the school children. In

other words, parental level of education significantly influences the

educational support of the students.

Though parents’ occupational background has direct influence on the

educational support given to secondary school students, both male and female
 78

were guided by parent irrespective of their occupation to attain greater

heights in education and social status.

Implications of the Research Findings

The findings of this study hold a number of significant implications for

the organizers of education; parents and school students.

1. Since the family has an important role to play towards the education of

their children, parents especially educated ones should take the

educational support of their children more seriously. There is a positive

relationship between gender and educational support offered by

parents. This presupposes that parents should endeavour to provide

equal educational opportunities for their male and female children.

2. Since parents’ occupation and educational background influence the

educational support of their wards in line with sex, mothers as well as

fathers should aspire for better job and high education in order to

support more positively and influence the educational aspiration of

their children.

Recommendations

In line with the findings of this study, the under listed recommendations are

made;

1. Parents should endeavour to acquire higher education and better jobs in

order to support their children in school.

 79

2. As education is a sure means of improving the socio-economic welfare

of an individual and his family, parents from poor socio-economic

backgrounds should endeavour to improve their educational status in

the society.

3. Sex should not be a necessary factor for the educational support given

to students especially in their choice of profession and educational

attainment.

4. Parents who are not educated should endeavor to attend extra-mural

class or sandwich programmes to improve their level of knowledge.

The future parents need to be educated considering the fact that their

level of education has a positive influence on the educational support

of their school children.

5. Government and private schools should be brought within the reach of

all children in terms of cost and spread.

6. Government should assist the parents by providing the school children

with educational facilities. Such assistance will go a long way to ginger

the students to aspire higher educationally.

7. Parents should endeavour to provide children with their basic school

needs, choices, adjustment in school, curricular and the school life

generally.
 80

8. The educational sociologists, psychologists, administrators, social

workers, guidance counselors should work as a team to assist students

who are in difficulty to adjust to their social environment.

Limitation of the Study

The study was completed but not without problems. These problems

identified, constitute the limitation of the study.

1. The administration of the questionnaire was not easy. Some

respondents did not collect and complete the questionnaire at the first

instance. The researcher pleaded with the respondents before they

could return the completed copies of the questionnaires. This negative

attitude of some of respondents led to the loss of a good number of

copies of the questionnaires in transit.

2. The generalization of the major findings is limited by constraints. The

researcher would have loved to study all secondary schools in Jigawa

and Kano states, but money and time prevented him from achieving

this desire.

Suggestions for Further Research

Although the present study has been completed, there is still need for further

studies to be carried out in the following area:

This study can be replicated in other parts of the country so as to ascertain

further the influence of parents’ educational and occupational background

 81

on educational support of students in a different geographical location

within the country.

Summary of the Study

The study aimed at determining the influence of parents’ educational and

occupational background on educational support of secondary school students

in Jigawa and Kano states. The study specifically aimed at determining the

levels of educational support by parents to the students, the influence of

parents’ occupation on the educational support to the students, the influence

of parental level of education on the educational support to the students, the

influence of students’ gender on the educational support to the students and

the influence of parents’ location on the level of educational support to the

students.

To achieve the objectives of this study, a research instrument (IOPEOB)

in form of self-developed questionnaire was designed and used for data

collection. The structured questionnaire was face validated by three experts

drawn from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. The sample of the population

was drawn from selected schools in both Jigawa and Kano states.

The data collected were used to answer five research questions and four

null hypotheses formulated for the study. The research questions were

analyzed using frequencies and percentages while Chi-square was used to test

the hypotheses.

Based on the analysis of data, the following findings were made:

 82

1. The findings indicated that parental occupation has influence on the

educational support of secondary school students in Jigawa and Kano

states.

2. There is an indication that parental level of education of both father and

mother has influence on the educational support of secondary school

students in Jigawa and Kano states.

3. Gender has significant influence on the educational support of secondary

school students in Jigawa state and Kano states.

4. There is significant relationship between the parents’ location and the

educational support of secondary school students in Jigawa and Kano

states.
 83

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Department of Educational Foundations,

Faculty of Education,
University of Nigeria,
Nsukka.

Influence of Parents’ Educational and Occupational Background on

Educational Support of Secondary School Students questionnaire
(IOPEOB)

Dear Respondent,

I am a postgraduate student of the above institution conducting a

research entitled: Influence of parental occupational and educational

background on educational support of secondary school students in Jigawa

and Kano states.

Please note that the information you are giving would be used only for

research purpose and would be treated with confidentiality.

In this regard, kindly give a sincere response to all the items enumerated in

this instrument with objectivity by ticking (√) in the space provided.

The response options are: Strongly agree (SA) = 4 points, Agree (A) =

3 points, Disagree (D) = 2 points, Strongly Disagree (SD) = 1point.

Thank you.

Name: Idris, Magaji Haladu Signature ________

 94

1
 95

Section A. Personal data

1) Gender: Male ( ) Female ( )

2) School…………………………………………………………………

3) Indicate where you and your parents are living:

(a) Urban area ( ) (b) Rural area ( )

Parents Occupation

Instruction: please tick (√) as appropriate.

1. Fathers Occupation

a. Professional: Doctor pharmacist engineer

judge lecturer teacher headmaster

clerk principal lawyer architect

b. Managerial and Business: Bank manager Manager in government

owned company private company Transport Company

office manager importer and exporter whole seller

registered contractor private contractor politician

retailer

c. Skilled labour: Mechanic iron welder iron bender

auto mobile technical electrician mason mechanic

tailor pane beater carpenters

 96

d. Unskilled: Guard man gardener farmer

cleaner conductor

2. Mothers Occupation

a. Professional: Doctor pharmacist engineer

judge lecturer teacher headmaster clerk principal

lawyer architect

e. b.Managerial and Business: Bank manager Manager in

government owned company private company Transport

Company office manager Importer and exporter

whole seller registered contractor private contractor

politician retailer

Skilled labour: Mechanic iron welder iron bender auto

mobile technical electrician mason mechanic

tailor pane beater carpenters

c. Unskilled: Guard man gardener farmer

cleaner conductor
 97

Parents Level of Education

Father/Mothers level of education (tick their highest qualification)

Father Mother

1) University Degree and above ( ) ( )

2) Diploma ( ) ( )

3) N.C.E ( ) ( )

4) Secondary School Certificate ( ) ( )

5) Primary School/Adult Literacy ( ) ( )

6) Non-formal Education ( ) ( )
 98

Section B: Educational Support by Parents

Instruction: Please tick (√) where suitable.

S/N ITEMS SA A D SD
1. At the beginning of the term your parents provide
all the required exercise books
2. Your school fees are paid before school authority
drives you out of school
3. Every year the required textbooks are bought for
you by your parents
4. You are given all the materials you needed for
project and assignments by your parents
5. Your parents provided you with a good and
befitting school uniforms
6. You eat every morning before you go to school
7. Your Parents wakes you up early for school
8. You use taxi or motor cycle to school everyday
9. Your parents or driver drops you at school
10. Your parents give you gift and other
encouragement for good performance
11. Your parents check your class work and
assignment regularly
12. Parents discuss your school and academic work
with you
13. Your parents insist that you must do extra lesson
after school hours
14. Your parents insist that you must go for extra
mural lessons during holidays
15. Your parents have library in your home and buy
books for you
 99

Results of Data Analysis for Influence of Parents’ Occupation and

Educational Background on Educational Support of
Secondary School Students

Research Question 1
DataSet1] C:\Users\PROF USMAN\Desktop\Magaji\Magaji.sav
Statistics

Level of Educational
Support
Valid 391
N
Missing 0

Level of Educational Support

Frequency Percent
Very 40 10.2
Moderate 322 82.4
Valid
High 29 7.4
Total 391 100.0

Research Question 2
[DataSet1] C:\Users\PROF USMAN\Desktop\Magaji\Magaji.sav
Case Processing Summary
Cases
Valid Missing Total
N Percent N Percent N Percent
FOccupatn * LavelB 389 99.5% 2 0.5% 391 100.0%
MOccupatn *
389 99.5% 2 0.5% 391 100.0%
LavelB

Father Occupation * Level of Educational Support Cross tabulation

Count
Level of Educational Support Total
Low Moderate High
Father Doctor 7 30 2 39
Occupation Pharmaacist 0 4 1 5
Engineer 0 34 4 38
Judge 1 5 2 8
Lecturer 0 10 1 11
Teacher 11 74 4 89
Headteacher 1 8 0 9
Clerk 0 4 1 5
Principal 1 7 0 8
Lawyer 0 5 0 5
Archtect 2 18 2 22
Bank Manager 0 4 0 4
 100

Manager in government
0 2 0 2
owned comany
Private company 0 3 0 3
Office manager 0 9 0 9
Importer and exporter 0 9 0 9
Wholeseller 3 20 1 24
private contractor 0 3 0 3
Politician 1 8 3 12
Retailer 6 22 0 28
Iron bender 0 4 0 4
Technicaian 0 15 2 17
Electrician 0 3 0 3
Mason 0 1 0 1
Tailor 4 10 5 19
Carpenter 0 1 0 1
Guard man 2 4 0 6
Farmer 1 3 0 4
Cleaner conductor 0 1 0 1
Total 40 321 28 389

Mother Occupation * Level of Educational Support Cross tabulation

Count
Level of Educational Support Total
Low Moderate High
Doctor 0 26 4 30
Phamacist 0 3 1 4
Lecturer 0 1 0 1
Teacher 9 54 0 63
Headteacher 0 6 0 6
Clerk 0 3 0 3
Principal 2 0 0 2
Lawyer 0 1 0 1
Architect 0 1 0 1
Mother
Bank manager 0 5 0 5
Occupation
Office manger 0 1 0 1
Importer and Exporter 0 3 1 4
Wholw seller 4 14 1 19
Retailer 5 29 1 35
Tailor 7 75 9 91
Hair plating 7 72 7 86
Body makeup 0 14 1 15
Farmer 6 12 3 21
Conductor 0 1 0 1
Total 40 321 28 389
 101

Research Question 3
[DataSet1] C:\Users\PROF USMAN\Desktop\Magaji\Magaji.sav

Case Processing Summary

Cases
Valid Missing Total
N Percent N Percent N Percent
Father edu. level *
Level of
391 100.0% 0 0.0% 391 100.0%
Educational
Support
Mother edu. level *
Level of
391 100.0% 0 0.0% 391 100.0%
Educational
Support

Father edu. level * Level of Educational Support Cross tabulation

Count
Level of Educational Support Total
Low Moderate High
University degree and
14 95 8 117
above
Diploma 13 113 12 138
Father NCE 13 85 3 101
edu. level Secondary school
0 24 5 29
certificate
primary school/ Adult
0 5 1 6
literacy
Total 40 322 29 391

Mother edu. level * Level of Educational Support Cross tabulation

Count
Level of Educational Support Total
Very Low Moderate High
University degree and
2 16 2 20
above
Diploma 11 92 6 109
Mother NCE 23 159 15 197
edu. level Secondary school
4 33 2 39
certificate
Primary school/ Adult
0 22 4 26
literacy
Total 40 322 29 391
 102

Research Question 4
[DataSet1] C:\Users\PROF USMAN\Desktop\Magaji\Magaji.sav

Case Processing Summary

Cases
Valid Missing Total
N Percent N Percent N Percent
StdtSex *
391 100.0% 0 0.0% 391 100.0%
LavelB

Students Sex * Level of Educational Support Cross tabulation

Count
Level of Educational Support Total
Low Moderate High
Students Male 15 126 15 156
Sex Female 25 196 14 235
Total 40 322 29 391

Research Question 5
[DataSet1] C:\Users\PROF USMAN\Desktop\Magaji\Magaji.sav

Case Processing Summary

Cases
Valid Missing Total
N Percent N Percent N Percent
Location *
Level of
391 100.0% 0 0.0% 391 100.0%
Educational
Support

Location * Level of Educational Support Cross tabulation

Count
Level of Educational Support Total
Low Moderate High
Locatio urban 14 132 9 155
n Rural 26 190 20 236
Total 40 322 29 391

[DataSet1] C:\Users\PROF USMAN\Desktop\Magaji\Magaji.sav

Case Processing Summary

Cases
Valid Missing Total
N Percent N Percent N Percent
Parental Sex *
Level of
127 100.0% 0 0.0% 127 100.0%
Educational
Support
 103

Parental Sex * Level of Educational Support Cross tabulation

Count
Level of Educational Support Total
Low Moderate High
Parental Male 10 60 5 75
Sex Female 4 44 4 52
Total 14 104 9 127
Case Processing Summary
Cases
Valid Missing Total
N Percent N Percent N Percent
Sch Type * Level
of Educational 391 100.0% 0 0.0% 391 100.0%
Support

Sch Type * Level of Educational Support Cross tabulation

Count
Level of Educational Support Total
Low Moderate High
Day School 26 222 23 271
Sch Type
Boarding School 14 100 6 120
Total 40 322 29 391
Hypothesis 1
[DataSet1] C:\Users\PROF USMAN\Desktop\Magaji\Magaji.sav
Father edu. level * Level of Educational Support
Crosstab
Count
Level of Educational Support Total
Low Moderate High
University degree and
14 95 8 117
above
Diploma 13 113 12 138
Father NCE 13 85 3 101
edu. level Secondary school
0 24 5 29
certificate
primary school/ Adult
0 5 1 6
literacy
Total 40 322 29 391

Chi-Square Tests
Value Df Asymp. Sig.
(2-sided)
Pearson Chi-Square 12.282a 8 .139
Likelihood Ratio 15.359 8 .053
Linear-by-Linear
1.712 1 .191
Association
N of Valid Cases 391
a. 5 cells (33.3%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum
expected count is .45.
 104

Mother edu. Level * Level of Educational Support

Crosstab
Count
Level of Educational Support Total
Low Moderate High
University degree and
2 16 2 20
above
Diploma 11 92 6 109
Mother NCE 23 159 15 197
edu. level Secondary school
4 33 2 39
certificate
Primary school/ Adult
0 22 4 26
literacy
Total 40 322 29 391

Chi-Square Tests
Value Df Asymp. Sig.
(2-sided)
Pearson Chi-Square 6.468a 8 .595
Likelihood Ratio 8.647 8 .373
Linear-by-Linear
1.541 1 .214
Association
N of Valid Cases 391
a. 6 cells (40.0%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum
expected count is 1.48.

Hypothesis 2
[DataSet1] C:\Users\PROF USMAN\Desktop\Magaji\Magaji.sav
Case Processing Summary
Cases
Valid Missing Total
N Percent N Percent N Percent
Father Occupation *
Level of 389 99.5% 2 0.5% 391 100.0%
Educational Support
Mother Occupation
* Level of 389 99.5% 2 0.5% 391 100.0%
Educational Support

Father Occupation * Level of Educational Support

Crosstab
Count
Level of Educational Support Total
Low Moderate High
Father Doctor 7 30 2 39
Occupation Pharmaacist 0 4 1 5
Engineer 0 34 4 38
Judge 1 5 2 8
Lecturer 0 10 1 11
Teacher 11 74 4 89
 105

Headteacher 1 8 0 9
Clerk 0 4 1 5
Principal 1 7 0 8
Lawyer 0 5 0 5
Archtect 2 18 2 22
Bank Manager 0 4 0 4
Manager in government
0 2 0 2
owned comany
Private company 0 3 0 3
Office manager 0 9 0 9
Importer and exporter 0 9 0 9
Wholeseller 3 20 1 24
private contractor 0 3 0 3
Politician 1 8 3 12
Retailer 6 22 0 28
Iron bender 0 4 0 4
Technician 0 15 2 17
Electrician 0 3 0 3
Mason 0 1 0 1
Tailor 4 10 5 19
Carpenter 0 1 0 1
Guard man 2 4 0 6
Farmer 1 3 0 4
Cleaner conductor 0 1 0 1
Total 40 321 28 389

Chi-Square Tests
Value Df Asymp. Sig.
(2-sided)
Pearson Chi-Square 60.753a 56 .309
Likelihood Ratio 69.380 56 .108
Linear-by-Linear
.159 1 .690
Association
N of Valid Cases 389
 106

a. 70 cells (80.5%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum

expected count is .07.
Mother Occupation * Level of Educational Support

Crosstab
Count
Level of Educational Support Total
Low Moderate High
Doctor 0 26 4 30
Phamacist 0 3 1 4
Lecturer 0 1 0 1
Teacher 9 54 0 63
Headteacher 0 6 0 6
Clerk 0 3 0 3
Principal 2 0 0 2
Lawyer 0 1 0 1
Architect 0 1 0 1
MOccupatn Bank manager 0 5 0 5
Office manger 0 1 0 1
Importer and Exporter 0 3 1 4
Wholw seller 4 14 1 19
Retailer 5 29 1 35
Tailor 7 75 9 91
Hair plating 7 72 7 86
Body makeup 0 14 1 15
Farmer 6 12 3 21
Conductor 0 1 0 1
Total 40 321 28 389

Chi-Square Tests
Value Df Asymp. Sig.
(2-sided)
Pearson Chi-Square 53.781a 36 .029
Likelihood Ratio 54.202 36 .026
Linear-by-Linear
.386 1 .534
Association
N of Valid Cases 389

a. 44 cells (77.2%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum

expected count is .07.
 107

Hypothesis 3
[DataSet1] C:\Users\PROF USMAN\Desktop\Magaji\Magaji.sav

Case Processing Summary

Cases
Valid Missing Total
N Percent N Percent N Percent
Students Sex *
Level of
391 100.0% 0 0.0% 391 100.0%
Educational
Support

Students Sex * Level of Educational Support Cross tabulation

Count
Level of Educational Support Total
Low Moderate High
Students Male 15 126 15 156
Sex Female 25 196 14 235
Total 40 322 29 391
 108

Chi-Square Tests
Value Df Asymp. Sig.
(2-sided)
Pearson Chi-Square 1.866a 2 .393
Likelihood Ratio 1.829 2 .401
Linear-by-Linear
1.166 1 .280
Association
N of Valid Cases 391
a. 0 cells (.0%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum
expected count is 11.57.

Hypothesis 4
[DataSet1] C:\Users\PROF USMAN\Desktop\Magaji\Magaji.sav
Case Processing Summary
Cases
Valid Missing Total
N Percent N Percent N Percent
Location *
Level of
391 100.0% 0 0.0% 391 100.0%
Educational
Support

Location * Level of Educational Support Cross tabulation

Count
Level of Educational Support Total
Low Moderate High
urban 14 132 9 155
Locatn
Rural 26 190 20 236
Total 40 322 29 391

Chi-Square Tests
Value Df Asymp. Sig.
(2-sided)
Pearson Chi-Square 1.504a 2 .471
Likelihood Ratio 1.537 2 .464
Linear-by-Linear
.025 1 .875
Association
N of Valid Cases 391
a. 0 cells (0.0%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum
expected count is 11.50.

Hypothesis 5
[DataSet1] C:\Users\PROF USMAN\Desktop\Magaji\Magaji.sav

Case Processing Summary

Cases
Valid Missing Total
N Percent N Percent N Percent
ParentSex * LavelB 127 100.0% 0 0.0% 127 100.0%
Parental Sex * Level of Educational Support Cross tabulation
 109

Count
Level of Educational Support Total

Low Moderate High

Male 10 60 5 75
Parental
Sex
Female 4 44 4 52

Total 14 104 9 127

Case Processing Summary

Cases
Valid Missing Total
N Percent N Percent N Percent
SchType *
391 100.0% 0 0.0% 391 100.0%
LavelB

Sch Type * Level of Educational Support Cross tabulation

Count
Level of Educational Support Total
Low Moderate High
Day School 26 222 23 271
Sch Type
Boarding School 14 100 6 120
Total 40 322 29 391

Chi-Square Tests
Value Df Asymp. Sig.
(2-sided)
Pearson Chi-Square 1.733a 2 .420
Likelihood Ratio 1.829 2 .401
Linear-by-Linear
1.460 1 .227
Association
N of Valid Cases 391
a. 0 cells (0.0%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum
expected count is 8.90.