CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1       BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Parental education attainment have to do with students academic performance because parental educational attainment level will determine the student academic performance in public junior secondary school (J.S.S. 2 & J.S.S. 3) Sagamu Local Government, Ogun State.

Firstly parental education attainment have a strong impact on children performances in the school and society. The level of parent education will also determine the level of students academic performance at school.

According to Iregbu (1992) defined education as a process which happens to a man form the day he was born until the day he dies. Thus definition looks vague for it does not base on every body only but explain in details such events or happenings. Taken from this view education means learning from experience for actions and reactions to issues and situation whether pleasant or unpleasant serve as lesson for occurrences similar to previous ones as seen in the adage, once bitten twice shy. According to definition of education will have explain, in most cases the types and level of parents education achievement, will depend on how parent inculcate learning into their children for better future. There are many types of parents in the society. There are some parents that are educated while some are illiterates. Parental education attainment will yield the interest of ‘child’, because children belike that their parents’ achievements will direct them to achieve their goals and objectives to wards education.

Adeyinka (1971) defined education as the process of transmitting the culture of a society from one generation to the other, the process by which the older members of a society bring up the young ones”. Parents which had undergone learning will strive to allow their children to achievement because, there is direct relationship between parents educational attainment and student academic success at school.

Uche (1998) commenting on the issue stated that the parents had an important influence on the child’s academic achievement. What the child learnt at home and how his/her parents motivate him towards education will contribute to the child success or failure in school.

Parental education attainment will also focus on academic performances taken to be the ability or the level of which a student or learner can go in the education activities.

Apparently, the parents provide information and ideas to gear up educational attitude about how to help their children at home with home work and other curriculum related activities decision and planning information needed and skill required for Junior Secondary School Student in all subjects and how to monitor school work at home.

Further more, education focuses on the influence and the progress of the child at school as well as his academic performance. The parents also provides basic training and discipline. Parent has been a major source from which students copy ways of behaviour, the child educational level condition will determine parental responsibility as far as education is concerned.

Most of the parents spend little or no time with the children nowadays Working Class Parents are in hurry in training and teaching their children. In a situation where both parents leave home for work in the morning and return very late in the evening what type of education, or lesson could the children learn, from such parents and there is no time to go through what the children did at school or attend to their class assignments.

In addition there are parents who are on their private business or those who are farmers, who do not have financial ability to send their children will not be able to contribute to the progress of educational sector.

Uche (1980) sum it up by state tat parents should provide the basic education for all Childs learning development. From the observation one can see clearly that the influence of the parents on a child’s academic success is enormous. One cannot look at the child at school in total isolation from what happen at home and types of home recomes from. This is because children are guided by the aspiration of their parents educational attainment, as a desired standard or goals toward educational success in life.

1.2              STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The problem of this study is to exampling how parental educational attainment influence student academic performance as a determinant of Public Junior Secondary School JSS 2 and JSS 3 in Sagamu Local Government of Ogun State. The level of parents education will determine, the types of education which a child will acquire status of parents will influence the learning ability of their children.

Many people are of the opinion that parental educational attainment have great impact on the academic performance of the students. In addition the attitude of parents between or towards their children education gear up.

1.3              PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

This research is to investigate the parental educational attainment and student academic performance and to suggest possible ways to orientating parents on the importance of education which is the best legacy and not to take the education of their child or children with levity.

Hence, this study will be of immense contribution when parents educate their child’s which is a contribution to government agencies, parents, proprietor or, appropriateness and the children’s.

1.4              RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following questions are raised to guide the study:

i.                    Does the parental educational attainment level affect the students academic performance?

ii.                  Does the background of parental educational attainment have influence on the academic performance?

iii.                Do parents help their children in devoting their time on them after the school hour?

iv.                Does parental educational attainment gear up the interests of students towards academic performance?

v.                  Is there any significant difference in Private and Public Junior Secondary Schools in Sagamu Local Government Ogun State?  

1.5              SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study will make us to realize that the student academic performance of study is majority determined by the parental educational level influence.

It’s also assists us in the future the types of education will can given to our children. This study will also enable us to realize that parental educational attainment will determine the students which is very important in ones life.

1.6              THE SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

This scope of study is based on parental educational attainment and student academic performance in Public Junior Secondary Schools in Sagamu Local Government Area Ogun State variable. Such as level of education and occupation of parent will be considered.

Another limitation is the educational level and parents co-operation towards student academic performance at school.

1.7              DEFINITION OF TERMS

i.                    EDUCATION: is the systematic training and instruction (especially of young) it can be in the school or at home.

ii.                  ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE: This has to do with education, it is to pursue knowledge (especially studying in school and university).

iii.                PARENT: Direct father or mother

iv.                STUDENT: A person who is being taught especially a child in a school.

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