Parental Involvement And Academic Performance in Social Studies in Junior Secondary Schools

Abstract: This study examines Parental Involvement and Academic Performance in Social Studies in Junior Secondary Schools in Itu Local Government Area. In order to achieve the objectives of this study, three research questions were postulated by the researchers to guide the study. A survey research design was used. Sample size of 200 respondents (students) was selected from five secondary schools. A simple sampling technique was used for the selection. More so, questionnaire was the instrument used to obtain data from the respondents for the study. All questionnaires administered were duly returned by the respondents. Consequently, the data were subjected to statistical analysis using simple percentage method. The results of the findings revealed that parental involvement influence the academic performance of students in social studies in junior secondary schools.

Parental Involvement And Academic Performance in Social Studies in Junior Secondary Schools

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the study

The level of parental involvement has important implications for children’s academic performance. Social cognitive theory suggests that youth absorb messages about appropriate behavior and socially accepted goals by observing and talking with important people in their lives (Bandura, 2007). Based on this assumption, parents have the potential to model positive attitudes and behaviors toward school, and research in developed countries such as the United States has shown that parental involvement contributes to students academic success (Fan & Chen, 2001; & Conway, 2008; Jeynes, 2007). In fact, students are more likely to apply themselves and perform better in school when their parents show an interest in their school work, are willing to assist them with homework, and are willing to hold their children accountable for completion of school assignments. Students who are not working hard at school may begin to perceive school as valuable when parents actively demonstrate that they value school through involvement.

When schools, families, and community groups work together to support learning, children tend to do better in school, stay in school longer, and like school more. Parental involvement over the past decade, indicates that regardless of family income or background, “students would involved parents who are more likely to earn higher grades and test scores, enroll in higher-level programs, be promoted, pass their classes, earn credits, attend school regularly, have better social skills, show improved behavior, adapt well to school and graduate to postsecondary education” (Henderson & Map, 2009).

The structure of many schools can also deter parents from helping students. Organizing a nursery school so that at least one person knows each child well, keeping a “parent room” in the building, and sponsoring parent-to-parent communication and events are key parts of an effective parent-involvement program (Berla, Henderson, & Kerensky,2007). According to the National Network of Partnership Schools (NNPS, 2004) , for parent involvement to flourish, it must be meaningfully integrated into a school’s programs and community. The network developed a framework of six types of parental involvement that schools can use to guide their efforts.

NNPS says schools can; help families with parenting and child-rearing skills, communicate with families about school programs and student progress and needs, work to improve recruitment, training, and schedules to involve families as volunteers in school activities, encourage families to be involved in learning activities at home, include parents as participants in important school decisions and coordinate with businesses and agencies to provide resources and services for families, students, and the community (Epstein, 2001). Parental participation in pre-school activities includes a wide range of behaviors but generally refers to parents’ and family members’ use and investment of resources in their children’s schooling. These investments can take place in or outside of school, with the intention of improving children’s learning.

Parental involvement at home can include activities such as discussions about school, helping with homework, and reading with children. Involvement at school may include parents volunteering in the classroom, attending workshops, or attending school plays and sporting events (Rain and William, 2011).

A parent is the child’s first and most important teacher in life and he or she is expected to play an active role in the child’s preschool journey because it is believed a parent and child should grow together and have a rewarding preschool experience. This follows subsequently by school life where academic performance is expected to be high. The parent is supposed to be supportive to the child in all aspects which include socially, physically, mentally and also emotionally (Epstein, 2001). Studies have indicated that children whose parents and/or other significant adults share in their formal education tend to do better in school. Some benefits that have been identified that measure parental involvement in education include; higher grades and test scores, long term academic achievement, positive attitudes and behaviors and more successful programs (Epstein, 2010).

The ideology of “motherhood” portrays mothers as being the ultimate caregivers. They invest most if not all of their time on their children which sometimes affects their job and role in the labor market. Although “stays at home moms” are less common, women are seen as spending more time with children than men. They are commonly the nurturers of the children and support emotional growth and stability. Fathers now more than ever are spending more time with their children. Whereas in the past, fathers were the breadwinners and the mothers stayed at home to cook, clean and take care of children. The roles are starting to reverse. Fathers are participating more in parenting roles and taking on responsibilities such as bathing, dressing, feeding, changing diapers and comforting children (Rain and William, 2011). In the morning, the first thing before the child report to school, he or she has to take breakfast, which gives him or her energy to stay in class comfortably.

The child needs to take another snack at ten o’clock since energy is highly required. At lunch time the child is expected to take a well balanced diet. At 3 or 4 o’clock the child need to have a bite again for example a snack can be provided. When the child is comfortable and not hungry he/ she can listen to the teacher well and follow the instructions hence performs well when given an examination. The other requirement the child needs is playing materials. Parent must provide some of demonstration and instructional materials. These materials are important because they help the child to be able to play, assist in concept building, promotion of discovery and creativity and enhance interaction with others as they play. These playing materials include the balls, track suits, toys, Picture books, clay ,paints, blackboard, beads, large blocks, medium blocks, dishes, flower title, concentric figures, nest of eggs, nest of dolls, nest of rings, nest of trays, cars, puzzles, pyramid, wooden animals, balls, pull toys, cars, trains, trucks, wagon, seesaw and slides (Frost, Wortham & Reifel, 2008).

1.2 Statement of the problem

Parents of junior secondary school students are often faced with unique challenges that hinder them from meeting the learners’ needs. They include; insufficient time, career or job type, level of education, order of priority, set home environment, opinion to voluntary work at school, time taken to respond to school activities for example buying instruction materials, attending parents meetings, conferences, sports ,academic clinic day, disciplinary cases and also discussing the academic progress of the students. If the above needs are not attended to, there is a likelihood of child not performing well because he or she is not adequately supported.

Insufficient parental involvement may lead to poor performance of the child academically. Parents from private secondary schools have been found to be more involved than parents from public secondary schools in areas such as attending academic clinic day, parents meetings, paying motivation fees, buying reading materials and buying television, radios, computer for computer games while in public secondary schools this is taken as extra expenses. The parents from public schools tend to be reluctant and therefore, the junior secondary  students are not exposed to varied earning opportunities. This affects their acquisition of learning skills such as numeracy and literacy skills as compared to children from private secondary schools. Underachievement at school or failure to reach a satisfactory level of literacy and numeracy is a national problem and its caused by various factors such as poor parental involvement as reported by research done by Federal Republic of Nigerian (2009) on learners’ achievement.

Reading, counting, grouping, pairing, sorting, comparing, matching, writing, designing, speaking and listening are among the skills inadequately acquired at early childhood education level. This is a common problem found in the results examined by Ikono divisional evaluation tests results analysis. A difference in performance has also been noted between the public and private schools in the same area whereby public school record a lower mean grade compared to private schools. Academic performance in Ikono Local Government has remained very low for a very long time as compared to other educational divisions in the Local Government. The study therefore sought to examined  the Parental Involvement And Academic Performance in Social Studies in Junior Secondary Schools in Ikono Local Government Area. 

1.3 Purpose of the study

The purpose of the study will be examined the Parental Involvement And Academic Performance in Social Studies in Junior Secondary Schools in Ikono Local Government Area. Specifically the study seek to. 

1. find out the influence of Socio-Economic Status and students academic performance in Social Studies in Junior Secondary Schools in Ikono Local Government Area.
2.  To investigate whether educational background of the students influence academic performance in Social Studies in Junior Secondary Schools in Ikono Local Government Area
3. To find out whether family size of the students influence academic performance of Junior Secondary Schools in Ikono Local Government Area.

1.4 Research Questions

The study  were to addressed the following research questions:

1. How does the socio-economic background of the students influence the academic performance in social studies in Junior Secondary Schools in Ikono Local Government Area
2.  How does educational background of the students influence academic performance in Social Studies in Junior Secondary Schools in Ikono Local Government Area?
3. To what extent does family size of the students influence academic performance of Junior Secondary Schools in Ikono Local Government Area?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

1. There is no significant influence between socio- economic background of the students influence the academic performance in social studies in Junior Secondary Schools in Ikono Local Government Area.
2. There is no significant influence between educational background of the students influence academic performance in Social Studies in Junior Secondary Schools in Ikono Local Government Area.
3. There is no significant influence between family size of the students influence academic performance of Junior Secondary Schools in Ikono Local Government Area

Parental Involvement And Academic Performance in Social Studies in Junior Secondary Schools

1.6 Significance of the study

Parental involvement plays a significant role in academic performance of students in Social Studies in Junior Secondary Schools in Ikono Local Government Area.

1. The findings of this study will assist in improving parental involvement in academic performance in Social Studies in Junior Secondary Schools in Ikono Local Government Area. 
2. The findings could also be useful in managing education of the learners and to identify the types of parental involvement such as parenting, communicating, volunteering, learning at home, decision making and collaborating with the community that impact on improvement of Junior secondary school acquisition of academic performance.
3. The study would also provide intellectual inputs for future researchers in search for knowledge on parental involvement on academic performances.
4. Finally, this will form a foundation for further studies too. The findings can be helpful to teachers and the parents in developing programs to upgrade their skills, knowledge, positive altitude and competencies of handling junior secondary schools students in Ikono local government area.

1.7     Limitations of the Study

The followings are limitations of the study:

(i)      Time: The period given for the completion of this study could hardly be enough for a wider and more in-depth research.

(ii)     Finance: The financial constraint exerted a great influence on this study as the researcher could not have enough money to allow for the coverage on a wider scope.

iii)   Geographical Factors:  The study was limited to only one out of thirty one local government areas in Akwa Ibom State. Ikono  was the chosen local government for the study. Six out of eight mixed public secondary  schools were randomly selected for the study.

1.8      Delimitation of the Study

The study was delimited to Teachers’ Characteristics And Pupils Academic Performance In Social Studies in Ikono Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. Analysis was on all Upper Basic two (2) teachers in the study area.

1.9     Operational Definitions of Terms

The following words are defined as used in this research work in the following ways:

Parental; It   refers to a person who is a father or mother or a person who has a  child.

Involvement: It means to cause someone to be parts in some activity.

Academic Performance:  This refers to the outcome of the students’ efforts or scores obtained after a test or an examination.

Urban: This is an area pertaining to a city that is more populated and well developed with social infrastructure.

Rural: This is an area pertaining to a village, less populated and under developed.

Originally posted on July 31, 2021 @ 3:57 pm