ABSTRACT: This study investigated Home Influence on Students’ Performance in Integrated Science in Secondary Schools. To accomplish this purpose three research questions and research hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The research design use was survey influential design. A questionnaire know as Home Influence Performance Questionnaire (HIPQ) was constructed by the researcher and was used for data collection. The questionnaire was screened and approval for used by the supervisor. The sample of the study were 144 students. The result of the study were analyzed using Pearson product Moment Coefficient.
Home Influence on Students’ Performance in Integrated Science in Secondary Schools
The finding made was that parental level of education, parent socio-economic status and family size all have significant influence on the students academic performance in integrated science based on the result of this study, the following recommendations were made that parents should improve on their socio-economic status and living standard. Parents should endeavour to provide learning facilities and supervise their students’ education especially their homework. The school should be adequately equipped while the government should endeavour to provide scholarship to students from poor homes.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
The human society is generally divided into social classes of which the Nigerian society is on exception. There are three large social classes that can be found in any given society. They are identified as the upper class, the middle class and the lower class.
Mcclever (2000) define social class as a distinct status group occupying a definite place in a hierarchy of status group. Home influence is centered on social classes. In the Nigerian society, the social class depends on education, wealth, occupation, and at times circumstances of birth. As a result, a persons social class in synonyms with his socio-economic status. There are many factors in a school setting that determines the educational achievement of students. These variables at times act in combination with others to produce of which learning takes place in Nigeria today is not very conducive.
The condition of the home and schools environment could either help to improve or impede a child’s academic performance. Coleman (200) reports that family background is correlated with achievement in school and that the correlation close not changes over the years.
A student’s performance can improve by home encouragement and co-operation with the school and their richness of the home if the parents are well educated. In order to give as child a firm footing academically, the family background has to be efficient and adequate.
A child’s background affects his perception, his personality development and the school will be fighting in a loosing battle, these factors are not given adequate consideration. In trying to assess of causes of disparity in student academic performance in secondary schools, are realizes that environment which include the family, is one of the factors that affect students performance in secondary schools.
There is considerable evidence in the literature to indicate that there exists a marked relationship between socio-economic status of the family and the child academic development. Socio-economic background is associated with a very complete number of family variables such as family size, occupation of parents and the educational background of the parents. Educated parents always fry to create favourable relationship between the home and the school in order to discourage background. Moreso, children learn by imitation and if educated parents set high value on education, their children will follow same.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Truancy and delinquency rates among secondary schools students are now in the increase. Laissez fair attitude of students toward studies and students sleeping in the classroom during lesson have become the order of the day in many secondary schools. Majority of secondary school students cannot afford the necessary school requirement. Many of them tool stay away from school because their parents cannot pay their fees promptly.
Cluster of variables usually associated with family background have influence on the academic performance of the students. These include the family social group the students’ social group, the time and places for his recreation, chores required of him by his family, the wearing of certain clothes at certain time, the economic control to which is subjected by his parents. All these very according to the social class of the students in question.
Studies have shown that there is certain correlation between performance and economic status (Eke 1999 and King, 2001). As a result of home influence on performance of students, the problem here is to fine out if there is relationship between socio-economic status of parents and performance of students in integrated science.
Another problem is to find out whether students from poor homes tend to perform lower those from rich homes and parents with high socio-economic status create and enriched environment that would enable their words to perform well in schools. Generally, the problem is that of finding out whether there is a relationship between socio-economic status of parents and students performance in schools.
1.3 Purpose of the study
The purpose of the study is to find out the relationship between home influence and students performance in integrated science in junior secondary schools in Uyo Local Government Area. The study will investigate the following:
To find out the influence of home with adequate provision of learning facilities on student academic performance in integrated science.
To find out that influence of family size on students academic performance in integrated science.
Home Influence on Students’ Performance in Integrated Science in Secondary Schools
1.4 Significance of the study
This study will be found to be significant to many concerned bodies including the Government and the General public. The study shall be helpful in the following direction:
Teachers will understand why student perform the way they do academically and this understanding will enable them to adopt suitable teaching strategies and method to enhance effective learning by all categories of learners. Government and educational administrators will see the need to provide adequate instructional facilities in schools to cater for the needs of students from deprived. Students, parents and teachers will know whether family background affects students positively or negatively, with this awareness, they would decide to adopt a favourable method of bringing up their children in order that they may become useful citizens in the society. The study shall determine whether such family background like parents socio-economic status and availability of learning facilities academic performance.
It will create awareness among teachers about the effect of home background on students academic performance. Based on the finding, it is hope that those charged with the responsibility of formulating and directing educational polices will be guided or informed.
