THE IMPACT OF HOME ON CHILDREN'S ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1        BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Several research on the impact of home and parents' socioeconomic position on students' academic achievement have been conducted both inside and outside Nigeria (Uwaifo, 2012). Many variables determine how well a student performs in school and how confident they are in themselves, according to research. However, in Nigeria, like other expanding economy, families finding it increasingly difficult to stay engaged with their children’s education (Olulola, 2007). (Olulola, 2007). Families in megacities like Lagos, where both parents work outside the home, are more likely to experience this. According to Carmen (2007), as mobility has risen, the extended family has become much less extensive. Parents are growing increasingly estranged from their children, making it impossible to keep a close eye on what has to be done to ensure that they succeed in school. Many families are governed by a grandmother, guardian, or other adult rather than a parent (Ajila, 2007). Prior to this period, in what is often considered a traditional Nigerian family context, parent were able to supervise the school work of their children attentively and actively engaged in parents teachers organizations especially to check the advancement of their children. In the home, report cards were regarded as a reliable indicator of academic ability. Parents were able to stay in touch with the school and their children's lives at school, as well as track their achievement or lack thereof. When the kids returned home from school, they had accomplished their homework, assignments, and other schoolwork (Deslander, 2005). Teachers and administrators are discovering that the support they once received in getting students to do their homework is no longer there, due to changes in family life and indeed in societal make-up (Bertrand, 2005). Teachers and administrators are discovering that the support they once received in getting students to do their homework is no longer there, because there are no parents at home to insist that students complete their assignment. For most of the twentieth century, the impact of the family environment on kids' education has been a prominent research issue. Baumrind (1971) is credited with distinguishing three different types of parental engagement and its effects on children. These are i) authoritative, ii) authoritarian, and iii) lenient parental engagement in child discipline. The impact of parental participation on measures of competence, achievement, and social development is discussed by Baumind. Although students are the ones who develop curriculum, write textbooks, and build schools, parents are the ones who are largely responsible for physically, mentally, behaviorally, attitudinally, emotionally, and motivationally preparing students for learning (Stricherz, 2000). To better understand how parents, friends, and communities impact kids' dedication to education, Stenberg and his colleagues conducted surveys, focus groups, and individual interviews with high school students and parents. In the nine ethnically diverse schools and neighborhoods, data was collected from 20,000 (twenty thousand) students and 500 (five hundred) parents during a 10-year period. These researchers discovered that parents' behaviors send a clear and decisive message about their thoughts and feelings about the importance of schooling; they also discovered that parenting style helps or hinders a child's engagement in school; that encouraging a child to do well in school or insisting on homework completion were important forms of promoting engagement; and that encouraging a child to do well in school or insisting on homework completion were important forms of promoting engagement (Clarey, 2002). Communication, influence, and parenting style are all aspects of a wider domain called parental engagement.

The aforementioned studies are not the only ones that speak to the issue of parental involvement; however, they serve only as a means of introducing the broader sphere in this study. In this study, the home environment was examined in relation to its impact on secondary school students' academic achievement.

1.2         STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Although scholars have discovered a link between parental influences on academic achievement of students in primary school, it is important to note that secondary school students differ from typical elementary school students and thus react differently to direct parental involvement in their academics (schawz, 2000). The purpose and goal of this study is to examine the association between home life, namely parenting style and parental socioeconomic level, and secondary school kids' academic achievement.

1.3           OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The study's main goal was to look at the impact of a child's household on his or her academic achievement. The general goal is conveyed in the individual objectives listed below:

i.          Examine the relationship between a student's family life and his or her academic achievement in secondary school.

ii.        Examine the variables that influence the home environment.

iii.      Examine the impact of a parent's socioeconomic situation on a student's academic achievement.

iv.      Examine how students feel about their parents' parenting style and how it affects their academic achievement.

1.4              RESEARCH QUESTIONS

i.    What is  the relationship between a student's family life and his or her academic achievement in secondary school?

ii.    What are the variables that influence the home environment?

iii.   What are  the impact of a parent's socioeconomic situation on a student's academic achievement?

iv.    How can the feelings of students about their parents' parenting style be examined?

1.5              SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

A convenience sample of roughly 30 (thirty) students from three selected secondary schools and 20% from Idah Local Government in Kogi State were used for this study.

Apart from the lack of funding and time, the study discovered the following limitations:

 i. It is acknowledged that not every parent would fit neatly into a certain parenting style. The sample will be rejected because of these parent-child combinations.

ii. Some children will assess their parents as fair when they are not, resulting in some blame being placed on the parents nominators.

iii. It is acknowledged that a family's parenting style may be determined by necessity rather than want.

iv. The study was confined to kids whose parents consented to their participation and received the students' agreement.

v. The accuracy of the data was restricted by the researcher's abilities and the validity of the tests given.

1.6              SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Many individuals will benefit from this research because they will learn about the aspects that influence a student's academic achievement. As a result, the research is noteworthy in the following ways.

i. It has provided empirical data to schools, parents, and students on the kind of parental engagement and how it affects a student's academic achievement.

ii. It serves as a starting point for future study into the same factors.

1.7              DEFINITTION OF TERMS

Home: Aspects of people's domestic life that contribute to their living conditions are referred to as "home."

Parent: A legal guardian or other person standing in loco parent, such as a grandparent or stepparent with whom the kid resides, or a person legally responsible for a child's care, is included in this study's definition of parent.

Parenting style: The parent-child relationship's general emotional climate serves as a useful framework for the parents' interactions with their children.

Academic Achievement of students: This word refers to a student's total average in science, social studies, English, and mathematics represented as a percentage grade.

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