Parenting styles experienced by learners and academic performance in selected primary schools in Likuyani District, Western Kenya

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Date
2012-11
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kampala International University, College Of Open and Distance Learning
Abstract
The study correlated parenting styles and academic performance of learners in selected primary schools in Likuyani District, Western Kenya. It was guided by the following objectives: 1) to determine the profile of the learners as to age, gender, level of academic performance and rank in the family; 2) to determine the type of parenting styles experienced by learners; 3) to determine the level of academic performance of learners and 4)) to establish if there is a significant relationship between type of parenting styles and level of learners academic performance. Ex post facto and descriptive correlation design was employed. There were 111 respondents from ten selected primary schools in Likuyani District. The questionnaire on parenting styles was adopted from Dr. N. Sumil while the academic performance were taken from annua~ mean scores of learners. Frequencies and percentages, means and Pearson Linear Coefficient correlation were used for data analysis. The findings of the study revealed that most respondents were aqed above 11 years with 78%. There was almost perfect gender balance between males and females (SS% and 45%) respectively. The level of academic performance was low in early childhood learners and high in primary education learners. On parenting styles, it was revealed that mothers did not exert much authority over their children as compared to fathers who exposed more of authoritative parenting styles. Overall conducive parenting style that impacted academic performance was authoritative (3.177) compared to (2.83) and (2.756) of authoritarian and permissive respectively. On comparing early childhood development education and primary education. Primary learners performed better than the early childhood development education learners, a phenomenon related majority to age. The level of parenting styles was generally good with a mean of (2.756). The learners’ marks were rated good with a mean of 2.48 (range of marks 40-59), It was found that the extent of parenting style was significantly correlated with the level of learners’ academic performance. Parenting styles had an influence on learners’ academic performance. Parenting styles had an influence on learners’ academic performance based on the findings of the study. The following conclusion was drawn: 1) there was a significant difference in the level of learners academic performance between male and female learners 2) the extent of parenting styles be strengthened to enhance academic performance. 3) the Ministry of Education to revise the curriculum content to embrace both teachers and parents input on academic performance, 4) the further analysis of parenting style should be done by researchers in order to achieve efficient and effective learning of children and 4) for the future researchers to investigate these areas: (a) permissiveness parenting style of mothers on academic performance (b) parenting styles experienced by female learners throughout childhood and (c) level of education as an indicator of academic performance.
Description
A Thesis Presented to the School of Higher Degrees and Research Kampala International University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Education in Early childhood Education /primary
Keywords
Parenting styles, Learners, Academic performance, Primary schools, Likuyani District, Western Kenya
Citation