Socio-economic background of parents and students’ academic performance in the secondary schools of Kitswamba and Rugendabara- Kikongo Town Councils Kasese District, Uganda
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Date
2023-11
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Kampala International University
Abstract
This study sought to determine whether socio-economic background of parents leads to significant differences in students’ academic performance in the secondary schools of Kitswamba and Rugendabara-Kikongo town councils, Kasese District. The main objectives of the study were to: examine whether parental educational, asses parents’, and to establish how family income level influences the academic performance among the secondary school students of Kitswamba and Rugendabara-Kikongo town councils in Kasese district. The study adopted a cross sectional research design on a sample of 250 students and five head teachers. Data were collected using a questionnaire and an interview guide. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Qualitative data were analysed using content analysis. Social Darwinism and social conflict theories are what guided this study. The findings include descriptive results in terms of descriptive statistics and qualitative findings, and inferential results in terms of correlation and regression. The results in Table 4.5 suggest that the mean scores for those with tertiary education (mean = 2.15) were highest followed by those with primary education (mean = 2.12), then those with secondary education (mean = 2.10) with the least being those non-formal education (mean 1.42) had the lowest mean scores. The observed F = 3.847 was large with the level of significance (p = 0.010, p < 0.05). This suggested that the variations in students’ performance by education of father male guardian were significant. Therefore, the hypothesis to the effect that parental educational level leads to significant differences in students’ academic performance in the secondary schools was supported. Thus, children whose parents who had higher levels of education were likely to perform than those of lower education. The mean scores for those in government civil service (mean = 2.14) was highest followed by nongovernmental service (mean = 2.13), and commercial and peasant farmers had the same mean (mean = 2.11). However, the observed F = 0.124 was low with the level of significance (p = 0.946, p > 0.05). This suggested that the variations in students’ performance by occupation of the father or male guardian were insignificant. Therefore, the hypothesis to the effect that parental occupation leads to significant differences in students’ academic performance in the secondary schools was rejected. Thus, children academic performance was not dependent on the parents’ occupation. The results for parents or guardians according to income showed that the income of the fathers has more significant influence than that of the mothers. This is because the F= statistic (F = 3.926) for the males was slightly higher (F= 3.850) than of the females with a lower p-value (p = 0.021) than that of females (p = 0.023). The findings further revealed that while parental educational level and income led to significant differences in students’ academic performance, parents’ occupation did not. It was concluded that parental educational level is imperative for students’ academic performance, the parents’ occupation is lowly linked with students’ academic performance, and family income is vital for students’ academic performance. The study recommended that the government of Uganda and schools should promote education of parents in the country, the government of Uganda should promote children of education without putting emphasis on occupation of their parents, and government of Uganda should promote programmes that promote income of parents such that they can be able to support education of their children.
Description
A research dissertation submitted to the School of Postgraduate Studies and Research in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Award of Master of Educational Administration and Management of Kampala International University