Parents’ socio-economic status and pupils’ academic attainment in selected primary schools in Malaba town council-Uganda

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Date
2011-09
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Publisher
Kampala International University, school of education
Abstract
The problem investigated in this study entitled parents socioeconomic status and pupils educational attainment in selected primary schools in Malaba town council stem from the fact that less than ten percent of primary school leavers in Malaba town council attain first grade every year in the last five years. In order to ascertain causes of such poor performance, the study established a relationship existing between parents’ social economic status and pupil’s academic achievements. Data for the study were collected using fifty seven cross sectional survey questionnaires and mark sheets for the pupils. Frequency distribution tables, mean and correlation tools were used to analyze the data. Pearson’s correlation coefficient for fathers’ education level and pupils grades was -0.575 while the Pearson’s correlation coefficient for mothers’ education and pupils’ grades was 0.244. The correlation coefficients for parents’ level of income, and occupation and pupils’ performance was 1. These findings give more validity to Pierres Boudiou’s theory of social reproduction and added to similar studies by Kasente D 2003, Bjorkman 2005, Bugembe et al 2005, Akanle 2007, Nnanyonjo H 2007, Okumu et al 2008, and Alisa 2010. The researcher submitted that there is no need to condemn children who have not passed in first grade as illiterate. Rather, they should be provided with enough material resources to be able to go quite far in school, despite their initial socioeconomic and educational disadvantage. It was therefore recommended that, government should continue to provide free education to empower children to reach higher levels of school. Parents are also advised to enroll in adult education to improve their quality of parenting. Lastly, children should continuously read and write to improve their numeric and literacy skills.
Description
A thesis presented to the school of postgraduate studies and research Kampala International University Kampala, Uganda in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master in Educational Management and Administration
Keywords
Parents’ socio-economic status, Pupils’ academic attainment, Primary schools
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