Family Size and Students Academic Performance in Agricultural Science in Secondary Schools

Family Size and Students Academic Performance in Agricultural Science in Secondary Schools
Family Size and Students Academic Performance in Agricultural Science in Secondary Schools

Abstract: This study examined Family Size and Students Academic Performance in Agricultural Science in Secondary Schools. Four secondary schools were randomly selected for the study. The ex-post facts research design was adopted. A sample size of 100 respondents was chosen for the study. The results of the selected students in the 2014 promotion examination in Agricultural science in respective schools were the instrument used for the study. The data collected were analyzed using t-test statistics. The results showed significant difference in the academic performance of small, middle and large family sizes in their Agricultural science.

This was evident in the calculated t-value of 6.17 and 2.51 as against the critical table value of 1.96, rejected at -0.05 significant level. It was therefore recommended among others that parents should at least have maximum number of four (4) children to enable them to take proper care of them.

Family Size and Students Academic Performance in Agricultural Science in Secondary Schools

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     Background of the study

It is an established fact that every member of the society belongs to a family. It is incontrovertible that the secondary school students like every mortal come from a home. While some come from extremely poor homes others have well-to-do parents. There are also those whose parents are illiterate while others have educated parents. Still some come from polygamous families while others come from monogamous families. Similarly, some students come from large families’ size while other comes from small families’ size. Which ever category a learner belongs, it has either positive or negative effect on his or her academic life and brings with him/her to formal education or schooling a way of functioning which carries the imprint of his/her upbringing at home.

Accordingly, the family provides what the students take with him/her to school. Herein, the importance of the family in the cultural, moral, social, educational and general upbringing of a child can not be over-emphasized. Apart from serving as a breeding ground for human continuity, the family which is regarded as a primary social unit in the society is the institution that sets the socialization process on course. It was in position of the unique philosophy of the family that Maduakonam (2006) asserted that should an evaluation of the social influence of the home be carried out, one would find that the home has a greater influence. The home lays the foundation for goals and motivation early in the life of a child.

A child first learns what is important through the values or goals that are considered most important in the society by emulating the parents. Children most often absorb the values of the parents but even if they reject them, they will be deeply influenced by them. Essien (2005) observed that discipline and indiscipline behaviours among children is a function of the family.   Ezewo (2006) equally asserted that the preponderance of delinquents among school population were from polygamous homes and large families.

However, it is a common knowledge that a number of home variables discussed above have a significant influence on the education of the child. For instance, inspite of the government policies on family planning, a number of parents are still producing an uncontrollable number of children, such parents in this era of global economic recession may not be able to cater for the socio-economic and educational needs of the family members. With the limited resources of the family, it is indisputable that priority attention will be given to the education of some children while others will be survival of the fittest.

 Malu (2006) stated that the home background of a learner has a significant influence on his educational achievement in school. He maintained that the home is the most important primary group and the smallest social unit in the society. It has its roots in biological and social nature. As such, it is universal in the sense that no human society could possible exist or has ever existed without some form of home organization. This is because parents, siblings and family members help to shape the characters, behavioural pattern, academic life and personality of a young child.

Family Size and Students Academic Performance in Agricultural Science in Secondary Schools

1.2     Statement of the problem

Every child in school performs in a different way in terms of academics which may either be positive or negative. It may be positive in the sense that the child or student would have a focus that leads to his or her upgrade and improvement in the social activities that is also due to the way he/she was brought up. In a  negative way may not be good in the sense that his parents did not teach him basic things, a child has to learn (for example respect for elders, non usage of foul languages and even some bad habits like smoking and drinking) which will definitely affect the child negatively.

It is therefore shows that the family which a child comes from has a vital role to play for a student to succeed. Apart from the way a child is learning at school for better academic performance many other factors still influence him/her especially, the family size in which the child or student comes from.

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Peter Hezekiah Lawson (Sir Pee). The CEO of onlineproject.com.ng. A reputable researcher, Web Developer, ICT Instructor and a publisher of many research works in Education.