THE INFLUENCE OF SINGLE PARENTING ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS IN JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS

CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION

1.1      BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Single motherhood is a serious societal problem that may have a considerable impact on a child's scholastic progress and learning accomplishment (Yongm and Yuanzhange, 2008). Children reared in a single-parent household are more likely to fall short of their full potential. Students in our educational system face several obstacles in their personal life, which they bring to the classroom. The family structure should ideally offer the children with a feeling of security and stability. When there is a breakdown in the family structure, it may have a significant impact on the child's capacity to operate normally and learn (Yongm and Yuanzhange, 2008). In the majority of cases, the kid no longer has two parents to rely on. With limited funds, time, and availability, parents are more likely to offer the essential and enough assistance to their children so that they may perform to their full potential. Single parent households have been on the rise in recent years. As a result, the number of children from broken homes has increased dramatically. Single parenting, according to Udansky (2008), is a huge societal concern that is on the increase. According to Yongm and Yuanzhange (2008), children who have experienced separation or divorce do not necessarily do well or have poor academic attainment. According to Downey (1994), students from two-parent homes outperform their classmates who live in single-parent households.

There are several factors that influence students' learning achievement in junior secondary schools. These factors include the student's internal state, such as intelligence, motivation, and health, as well as the student's environment, which includes the availability of a suitable learning environment, adequate learning infrastructures such as textbooks, and a well-equipped library (Udansky, 2008). The house is an important part of a child's emotional development. The sort of home environment and scenario has an impact on the learning success of school-aged children. Children that originate from a single parenting family structure, for example, are more likely to be violent and delinquent than children who come from a two parent or stable household. According to studies, most children raised by a single parent are not necessarily as emotionally secure as children raised by a full or two-parent household (Udansky, 2008). To fully comprehend why certain kids act the way they do, the teacher must do house visits to individual students' homes, allowing the instructor to better grasp how to deal with youngsters from single-parent households. Children may eventually drop out of school as a result of being raised by a single parent. This might be due to spousal responsibility on either the father's or mother's side, and when such parents divorce, it has an impact on the psychological appearance of the kid or children (Udansky, 2008). There is less parental attention, which causes moral degradation in the kid or children, which finally leads to moral decadence in the school. In light of the above, the researcher should critically analyze the impact of single parenting on pupils' academic achievement in junior secondary schools.

1.2     STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Parents, teachers, counselors, psychologists, researchers, and school administrators have all been interested in discovering the elements that impact pupils' learning performance throughout the years. This was due to the country's education level continuing to deteriorate (Udansky, 2008). There are several factors that influence students' learning achievement in junior secondary schools. These factors include the student's internal state, which includes intelligence, motivation, the student's environment's health, and adequate learning infrastructure, such as textbooks and a well-equipped library. Many kids in the school system are from single-parent families, and owing to a variety of challenges that arise from this model, some pupils are unable to achieve their full potential (Udansky, 2008). As the single parent model grows more common, researchers must find a method to address these difficulties in order to equip kids and parents with solutions that will enable them to attain their full potential. It's also been stated that single motherhood is to blame for kids' academic success. As a result, it is necessary to investigate the impact of single parenting on kids' academic achievement in junior secondary schools.

1.3    OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The general objective of the study is influence of single parenting on academic performance of students in junior secondary schools. The specific objective are as follows:

1. To examine the influence of  divorce on the academic performance of students.

2.  To evaluate the implications of single parenting on academic performance student in junior secondary schools.

3. To find out if  single parenting  results into students moral decadence.

4.   To provide solutions on how single parenting can aid the academic performance of students.

1.4     RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following questions have been prepared for the study:

What are  the influence of  divorce on the academic performance of students?

What are the implications of single parenting on academic performance student in junior secondary schools?

Does  single parenting  results into students moral decadence?

What are the solutions on how single parenting can aid the academic performance of students?

1.5    SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study will enable us to understand that a child’s future is determined by the family which comprises of the father and mother’s love and affection and also how the parent carries out their responsibilities on the child.

It will also show the importance of parent’s care and attention on the leaning achievement of the child. It will also enable us to know the relevance of home in the child life.

Secondary, since education plays a vital role in the development of a nation and only the educated individual are referred to as the resources for impressive national development, then any problem of learning achievement in the society is a national problem.

Thirdly, it will enable the teacher to know the problem and implication of single parenthood on learning achievement so as to be able to take proper care of child or children that falls into these groups of family structure.

Fourthly, this study will show how to maintain marriage in order to eradicate problems of single parenthood in the society.

Lastly, the result of this research work will inspire the appropriate authorities which include teachers, parents guardians, counsellors and government on how to improve the learning abilities of the students in order for them to attain an effective learning achievement.

This study will also be significant to the academic community as it will contribute to the existing literature.

1.6       SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study will examine the influence of  divorce on the academic performance of students. The study will also evaluate the implications of single parenting on academic performance student in junior secondary schools. The study will further find out if  single parenting  results into students moral decadence. Lastly, the study will   provide solutions on how single parenting can aid the academic performance of students. Hence the study will be delimited to junior secondary schools in Akure South, Ondo state.

1.7   LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

This study was constrained by a number of factors which are as follows:

Just like any other research, ranging from unavailability of needed accurate materials on the topic under study, inability to get data.

Financial constraint, was faced by  the researcher, in getting relevant materials  and  in printing and collation of questionnaires.

Time factor: time factor pose another constraint since having to shuttle between writing of the research and also engaging in other academic work making it uneasy for the researcher.

1.8     DEFINITION OF TERMS

Single parenthood: Is a parent who cares for one or more children without the physical assistance of the other biological parent in the home.

Academic performance: the measurement of student achievement across various academic subjects

Get this material NGN 5,000

Message Us on WhatsApp  »