Abstract

The purpose of the study is to examine influence of family background on academic achievement of pupils in primary schools in Port Harcourt city local Government Area, Rivers state. The specific objectives were: to identify the influence parental socio-economic status, broken home, family size and type have on pupil’s academic performance, and to find out whether educational background of parents has any influence on pupil’s academic achievement. Four structure research questions were developed to guide the study. Descriptive research survey design technique was used in the study. The population of the study comprises of all Government owned (Public) and private primary schools in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area Council with total population of twelve thousand four hundred and thirteen (12,413) while the sample size for the study was comprises of 388 pupils which were determine using yaro yamen and random sampling technique was employed in selecting the sample for the study. The instrument used was researcher’s constructed structure questionnaire on a four point’s likert’s scale type with 5-items in each cluster. The research instrument was validated by an expert in measurement and evaluation, and the researcher’s supervisor. Similarly, the reliability of the instrument was tested using the test-retest method and the data obtained were analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation which gives a reliability coefficient of 0.86. Mean and percentage distribution were simple descriptive statistics used in analyzing the research questions while t-test was used to test the hypotheses at the 5% level of significance. The results from the analysis show that family background has significant influence on pupil’s academic achievement. Hence, based on results obtained from the study, recommendation were made to the parents, government and other stake holders in the education industry on how best they can work together to motivate and ensure the pupils achieved academic excellence.

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

Introduction

The role families’ plays to the pupils at any given point in time in a child’s life cannot be over highlighted. The family is relevant and very significant to the well being of a child as well as his/her later development in life. Family is the first unit in the social order where the child’s upbringings began after birth, still in cradle. According to Adewumi et al (2012) childhood could be liken to a letters impressed in the shout of a young tree, which grow, and later enlarge into an integral part of the whole. Sequel to the above, rightful beginning makes the most essential part of every child’s upbringing/education. The contribution of the parent to the training of the pupil determines how far he/she will go in life.

It is well noted that when the school work together with the family through learning support system, pupils tends to succeed better not just in schools but in life.

The family is an institution as well as an agent of socialization saddle with the responsibility of determining the pupil’s attitude towards intellectual, religious, character and moral upbringing. According to Aliyu (2016) the family lays the fundamentals of moral and religious upbringing of the child, and in a way dictate how he/she relate with others regarding the idea of right and wrong , good and bad. The family unit plays the role of helping the pupils in determining his/her future career pursuit through socializing them into their choice of vocation or a trade for self reliance, by exposing the child to either pursue the career of the family or any favorable skill before the child grow to become an adult (Jekayinka and Oke,2003). The family here includes everything that surrounds within the family itself and includes the family background, their socio-economic status, broken home etc. According to Mpiluka (2014), Family backgrounds have been of immense significant in determining the academic achievement of a child in schools all over the world. Specifically because academic achievement often time are motivated by the type of people the child interacts with in their early stages in life from their homes. Muola (2010) observed that family background could be likening to all the conditions and circumstances within the family which influences the child physically, intellectually and emotionally as he/she grow up. The Child that grew up from different family backgrounds are affected differently by such family condition, which are the reasons behind why some children have good family background while others have a very poor background. The differences in our family background are some of the consequences in the variation in pupil’s academic achievement in school.

Sequel to the above, primary school education remains best and first step to human development. Also, education is one of the basic requirements for good in a society where social vices are on the increase. Relating education and family together, it is noted that educated parents provide a better and good academic atmosphere for their children. In all parts of the world primary schools is the foundation upon which other levels and forms of education are built. For very obvious reasons, this foundation cannot afford to be rickety, shaking and torpid. However, the issues of pupils’ academic achievement in schools have been of great concern ever since the introduction of modern education system in Nigeria. Many countries in the world have realized that primary school is an integral part of educational process without good academic achievement at this level other facet of the society will be affected. Nyipir (2010) observed that the parents are parts of the current challenge facing the primary school system in the world. This is because the parents have often time fail to do their bid at home and by so doing makes many children even at early stage in life resort to self-help as a result of the fact their parents refuse to give them the needed attention they deserved. As a child grew up from infant to toddler and then to a preschooler, he/she learns how to speak, listen, write and read which are later develop in order to make the child to achieve academic performance (Chris and Theisen, 2009). Gadsden (2003) observed that greater parental (family background) involvement at early stage of pupil’s learning process positively affects the pupil’s performance in school. Although, family background includes other variables such as parental socio-economic status, broken homes, family size and types, parental educational background etc all these are some of the determinant of family background. Meanwhile, Ojo and Yilma (2010) noted that socio-economic status of a family is capable of affecting pupil’s behavior and to some extend determines their aspiration in life. Ojo et al (2010) further opined that families having worthy socio-economic status often have more resources in sending their children to school. Most time they usually have access to wide range of ways of providing their children with the needed care, books and also know how to engage them in various learning activities in the

house after school. They also have access to good quality information about their children’s wellbeing, as well as their social, emotional and mental development both in school and at home. Although, Ojo et al (2010) further revealed that parental socio-economic status such as family income level are among some of the major challenges face in the family when it comes to providing best possible care and education for their children. Parental level of education is another key factor that influences pupil academic achievement. The role parental level of education plays cannot be over emphasized. According to Gary, (2001), pupil’s that grew up under parent who are professional and are engage in managerial occupational backgrounds exhibit higher academic performance than those from dissimilar background.

Similarly, family size and type are also linked to high academic achievement. Family size and type to some extent determines the level of attention and time which a pupil gets from their parents. Financial challenges associated with family with larger size and type could be better explained in Okunyi (2004) findings. In Okunyi (2004), it was revealed that as families’ increases, parents sometime cannot afford to give their children the same level of attention compare to when the family size is manageable. In a situation that the family size is large parent find it difficult to provide the necessary things needed by the pupil to succeed in School. For example provision of learning aids, comfortable rooms to stay and do their assignment and home work, away from distraction from TV, outings to places of interest, holiday trip, opportunity to visits tourist centers etc.

On the other side, Omoruyi (2014) observed that growing up with a single parent family or broken home are always very nerve-racking tasks for both the child and parent. Such families are bound to be confronted with challenges of inadequate financial resources, lack of care, no love etc. Schults (2006) once opined that if adult from broken homes are to be compared to those from a united family, you will discover that those from a more united family are more socialized, academically and emotional stable than the other. Johnson (2005) lamented that pupils from separated homes (broken home) families often fail in school and sometime, they are exposed to emotionally risk compare to the others. In a sharp contrast Omoruyi (2014) disagree with Johnson (2005) view by saying that this may not be completely applicable in all cases of broken homes. He further opined that some pupils irrespective of home background or structure may work hard to become successful in life. Furthermore, Ayodele (2007) observed that the place where a child grew up himself/herself determining his/her learning ability and ultimately his academic achievement in school.

Sequel to the afford mentioned facts, this study is interested in investigating influence of family background on pupil’s academic achievement in primary schools in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area ,Rivers state.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of the study is to examine influence of family background on pupil’s academic achievement in primary schools in Port Harcourt city LGA of Rivers state. Specifically, the study will attempt to find out the following objectives;

(1.)Identify the influence of parental socio-economic status on pupils’ academic achievement in Primary schools in Port Harcourt City LGA of Rivers State.

(2.)To ascertain whether broken homes has any influence on pupil’s academic achievement in Primary schools in Port Harcourt City LGA of Rivers State.

(3.)To determine the influence of family size and type on pupil’s academic achievement in primary schools in Port Harcourt City LGA of Rivers State.

(4.)To find out whether educational background of parents has any influence on pupil’s academic achievement in primary schools in Port Harcourt City LGA of Rivers State

Research Questions

The below research questions guides this study; they include:

(1.)   What extent are influences of Parental socio-economic status on pupil’s academic achievement in Primary schools in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area? (2.)   What  extent  are  the  influences  of  “broken  homes”  has  on  pupil’s  academic achievement in Primary schools in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area? (3.)   What extent are the influences of “family size and type” has on pupil’s academic achievement in Primary schools in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area?

(4.)      What extent are the influences of educational background of parents has on pupil’s academic achievement in Primary schools in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area?

Research Hypothesis

The below hypotheses guides study; they include:

Hypothesis One (H01): There is no significant difference in the mean ratings of the responses from the respondents in private and public primary schools on the influence of parental socio-economic status on pupil’s academic achievement in Primary schools in Port Harcourt city Local Government Area..

Hypothesis two (H02):There is no significant difference in the mean ratings of the responses from the respondents in private and public primary schools on the influence “broken homes” has on pupil’s academic achievement in Primary schools in Port Harcourt city Local Government Area.

Hypothesis Three (H03):There is no significant difference in the mean ratings of the responses from the respondents in private and public primary schools on the influence “ family size and type” has on pupil’s academic achievement in Primary schools in Port Harcourt city Local Government Area.

Hypothesis four (H04):There is no significant difference in the mean rati

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