Impact of Parental Background Support in Relation to Education, Income and Academic Performance of Public Senior Secondary School Students in Sokoto State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study centers mainly on the relationship between parental background support in relation to education, income and Students academic performance. The research design adopted for this study was correlation research design, under the descriptive survey research. The study was based on Conflict theory, which sees the purpose of education as a means of maintaining social inequality and preserving the power of those who dominate the society. The study was carried out using questionnaire, achievement test and focus group discussions. The questionnaire was Self-designed and it was based on closed- ended items with options of A, B, C, D, E and F. The population was all the public senior secondary school students in Sokoto state. A total number of twelve public senior secondary schools, with three thousand four hundred and twenty eight (3,428) as the population of SS II students, were purposively selected within the six educational zones to represent the total population. The judgmental sampling technique was used to select the schools. The qualitative data collected were analyzed through thematic analysis by coding and transcription, while the quantitative data were analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Co-efficient and Multiple Regression. The major findings of the study were: Parental background support in relation to educational level has relationship with students' academic performance. Parental background support in relation to income has relationship with students' academic performance. The study recommended that, since Students academic performance can be positively influenced by the parental level of education and income, parents should be sensitized and mobilized to see the value or relevance of education. This will enable the parents to have positive view of their children education. Also job creation and awareness should be given more priority, so also the standard of civil servants salary should adjusted in order to meet up with the present challenges of economic demands. This will assist the parents to support good academic performance.