ABSTRACT
This study focused on the effects of home environment on SS2 Physics Students in Egor LGA, Edo State. The instruments used for this research were the questionnaires as the main tool for students while interview was used for teachers and parents. The data were analysed by using EXCEL and SPSS version 16.0. Key findings revealed that lower educated parents make it difficult to support their children academically either paying school fees in time, giving their children basic needs, enough stationeries and counselling sessions. The study also revealed that socio-cultural factors hinder SS2 Physics Students achievement in such a way that, female genital mutilation causes truancy, absenteeism or school dropout. In turn, this denies girls in their right to education. The students‟ performance depends on different variables including socioeconomic factors, self-confidence and motivation from parents. The finding also shows that communication between the home and the school promotes good academic results.
CHAPTER ONE
THE PROBLEM AND ITS CONTEXT
1.1 Introduction
The menace of academic failure among secondary school graduates has stared both the government and stakeholders in the face. There is a consensus of opinion about the fallen standard of education as a big problem that is hindering the posterity of the Nigerian nation in terms of quality man power resources. Most students in secondary school experience academic problem that shows itself in the form of academic poor performance. Several researchers have sought to find out the reasons for the downward trend in the academic performance of secondary school students. Adesehinwa (2013) analysed the elect of family type and poor funding on students’ academic achievement; Ogbemudia and Aiasa (2013) researched on lack of good home foundation for students as cause of poor performance by students; Achieng (2012) found home factors, student factors and institutional capability as the causes whereas Adesehinwa and Aremu (2010) posited that factors resident in students, family, society, government and the school may be composite causative elects for these downtrend; they, however concluded that there is a need for each of these variables to be considered extensively, hence the focus of this study to critically consider influence of home on academic performance of secondary school students. Other studies showed that the level of family cohesion (Caplan et al, 2014 cited in Diaz, 2004), and family relationships (Buote, 2009) proved themselves capable of predicting performance. Over a period of time, it has been observed that students exposed to the same lessons by the same teachers perform differently when they are evaluated (Adesehinwa, 2013). This shows that outside the college atmosphere, different factors influence students’ tutorial performance. Conjointly variations within the tutorial performances of talented and non-gird kids can’t be copied to high school atmosphere (Adesehinwa and Aremu, 2010).
Hence, several uncontrolled variables will be chargeable for academic performance of scholars usually, gymnasium students inclusive. Schiefelbaum and Simmons (2009) cited by Adell, (2014) think about family background the foremost vital and most weighty think about decisive the educational performance earned by the scholar. Among the family factors of that have greatest influence is the unit of socio-economic class variables and therefore the instructional and family atmosphere. Emeke (2013) stressed that the condition and therefore the nature of social interaction that goes on within the family might have some positive or negative influence on the educational accomplishment of a toddler. One in every of the tasks of Education is to coach young people to become useful members of the society and this training begins at home in the informal way. The home of the student is the first place he/she enters when born into the world by parents. A home is a place where students live with their parents or guardian and it is the place where they are groomed. It is a place where the students begin to learn the norms and values of the society in which they find themselves. The family is a social unit in any society and it is the source of early stimulation and experience in children (Collins, 2015). The home influences the students at the most earliest possible time of his life at a time when his mind is most receptive. It provides the first impression which may last through the whole life of the child.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Statistics on academic performance of secondary school students has it that there has been a persistence poor performance of secondary school student. This implies that students who are exposed to some teaching and learning experience perform differently. It has also been proved by psychologists that difference in intelligence is not the only factors responsible for the difference in performance of students.
Moreover, very scanty attention has been given to most aspects of home background of students like parental level of education, parental occupation, family size and type of family as it affects their academic performance. The problem of this research work is to find out the influence of home environment on secondary schools students.
1.3 Research Objectives
The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of home environment on SS2 Physics Students. The study was conducted specifically;
- To investigate the influence of parents educational level towards secondary school students academic performance.
- To find out the extent to which socio-cultural factors affect students‟ academic performance.
- To identify the relationship between parents socioeconomic status and students academic performance.
- To assess the relationship between parents involvement in academic activities and students academic performance.
1.4 Research Questions
Basing on the specific objectives, this study was guided by the following research questions.
- What are the influences of parents‟ educational level towards secondary school students‟ academic performance?
- What are the extents to which socio-cultural factors affect students‟ academic performance?
- What is the relationship between parents‟ socioeconomic status and students‟
academic performance?
- What is the relationship between parents‟ involvement in academic activities and students‟ academic performance?
1.5 Scope of the Study
This study will be done using secondary schools Physics Students in Egor North LGA, Edo State. It will examine low variables such as sociocultural factors, parent level of education, parental socioeconomic status and how parental involvement affect the child’s academic performance at the secondary school level.
1.6 Significance of the Study
The significance of this study to the teachers is that it will serve as a guide that would enable them understand their students and know the approach or method to adopt in teaching so as to bridge the gap of variation in academic performance and how to organize to use to see that every student is carried along no matter his or her family’s condition.
Furthermore, the findings and recommendations would be useful to the government, curriculum planners and examination bodies in policy making and in planning educational strategies for Nigeria students.
Finally, this work will be a guideline to the future researcher who will carryout their research work on this area. It will raise more question on the home environment and it effect on the academic performance of secondary school students and open up new areas of study.
INFLUENCE OF HOME ENVIRONMENT ON SS2 PHYSICS STUDENTS
