ABSTRACT: The study investigates the effect of Family Variables and Academic Performance in Economics among Secondary Schools Students. A survey research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study consisted of all the students who offered economic in the study area. A simple random sampling technique was used to select a sample size or two hundred (200) economics students from four secondary schools in the study area.
Economics achievement test (E A T) was used in collecting the average sores of the students. The data collected from the study were subjected to statistical analysis using independent t-test statistics to determine the performance of the students. The results of the analyses showed that students from literate parent performed better than their counterpart from illiterate family. It also revealed that the students whose parents live in urban area performed better than those in rural area. Also students from high socio economics status of parent performed than their counterparts from low socio economics status.
From this finding, it was therefore concluded that family variables have significant effects on academic performance. of Students in economics in secondary schools in Nsit Ubium Local Government Area, however the study recommended that, parents should provide educational materials to their children in school to enhance better academic performance, also that government should create a forum for parents and teachers to interact so that they can work together for the benefit of their children in schools.
Family Variables and Academic Performance in Economics among Secondary Schools Students
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the study
The academic performance of any child cannot be separated from the family in which the child grows up. Healthy family background offers emotional security to the child (Agholor, 2005). A family is a group of who is closely related by blood, marriage or adoption. It is the smallest unit of human organization and is made up of Father, Mother and children as members. Members are held together through guided by common rule and regulation; they have rigout and responsibilities toward one another and the family as a unit.
Investigation as shown that family influence has strong relationships with academic outcome of a child. The impact of family variables on the academic achievement in schools is today’s receiving wide acknowledgement in many educational circles within the globe, the attention in this factor is receiving it tends credence to this point of view that family variables has influence on the academic achievement of a child. Asaga (2006) observed that, the family environment and parent occupy the most important position on the child educational environment and whatever he could make out in the same way.
Akinboye (2006) trace this point from the time the child born into the family and left out that, hope of the child`s is mother and child father interaction and the style of discipline in the family may have effect on the learning rate the child in economics as a subjects. The child environment outside the school (his family background determines the performance of the learning in many subject such as Economics.
A search on the academic achievement studies revealed that various variable have been identified as related to academic achievement of secondary school students in economics (Kutnick and Layne, 2008). Research has also suggested that academic performance can be predicted through creativity testing (hirch and Peterson, 2008).
Moreover, studies conducted on family variable in today`s modern society expected ever, one to be a high achievement. The key criteria to Judge one`s true potentialities and capability are perhaps scholastic, academic achievement. Academic performance has become an index of a child future. Therefore, it is putting a great pressure on the min of children and their parent. The scholastic achievement is a function of cognitive and is the resultant of various factors like persona, social, economic and other environmental factors.
Research studies have proved that a supportive environment in family, school, and neighborhood could enhance a child scholastic achievement. Family being the first and main agency of socialization has a great influence and bearing on the development of the child. It has been shown by various studies tat most of the children who are successful/great achievement and well adjusted come from the family where sustaining wholesome relationship exist. So, it is the family which set the pattern for its child`s attitude toward people and society, aid intellectual growth in the child and supporters his aspiration and achievement in school. Highly significant positive relationship exists between family variable and academic performance of student (Showha and Sharma, 2007).
An ordinary observation suggested that family variables has a great deal of changing influence either positively or negatively on academic performance of student and as such, parents ply the most importance roles as one of the powerful determinants in educational progress among students which may lead to successor failure. It can no longer be disputed that family involvement enhances the learning experience of the student family can create conditions, such as force and external stimuli that affect the individual cognitive development.
Bloom (2003), opined that explain much of the learning success of some students and the failure of the parents at this point is to ascertain the influence of family an if possible has effect on academic performance of students. In this capacity parents serve as a facilitator by creating a bridge between success or failure of the students in their academic performance in economics in senior secondary school. The study therefore is undertaken to ascertain how family variable influence the academic performance of senior secondary school students in economics in Nsit Ubium Local Government Area.
Family Variables and Academic Performance in Economics among Secondary Schools Students
1.2 Statement of the Problem
The main problem that attracts the attention of the researcher is the poor performance in Economics in Nsit Ubium Local Government Area. Many of these problems among others are parental income, parental educational background, un-conducive learning environment, parenting style of parents, inadequate facilities for learning, family size, parental education involvement, broken home among others.
Actually, the educational standard in Nigeria has fallen greatly compared to that of the past, the parent and the entire society have shifted blame on the teacher for low performance in NECO, WASSCE and other related examinations while the teachers themselves blame the parents for refusing to provide their ward with require school materials that enhance learning.
Consequently, upon the observation and deterioration in the academic performance, attitude and values of secondary schools, one wonders if the high rate of failure is cause by family background of students and parenting style of parents may be the cause of such poor performance of students in school, since it is believed that a good foundation for education start from the family.
However, owning to the poor result of Nigerian Certificate, almost ever, years the researcher what to know whether family variable is one the contributory factor, that influence the academic performance of secondary schools students in economics in Nsit Ubium Local Government Area.
