Influence Of Family Background On Academic Performance Of Secondary School Students
[A CASE STUDY OF ILORIN SOUTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA KWARA STATE, NIGERIA]

CHAPTER FIVE
DISCUSSION, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Introduction
    The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of family background on academic performance of student in Ilorin South Local Government Area, Kwara State. The study equally sought to find out whether variables such as gender, religion, parents highest educational qualification, family size and parent’s employment type would influence the perception of the respondents. Five null hypotheses were generated for the study and tested at 0.05 alpha level of significance. Data were gathered from secondary school students through the use of questionnaire titled “influence of family background on Academic Performance of students Questionnaire” (IFAQ). The data were subsequently subjected to statistical analysis. This chapter therefore focuses mainly on the discussion of the findings, basic conclusions and recommendations.
Discussion
    The distribution of the respondents by gender indicates that male were 80(40.0%) while the female respondents were 120(60.0%), thus more females participated than males. On the distribution by religion, there were 127(63.5%) Muslim and 73(36.5%) Christian. It shows that participants (respondents) cut across the two major religions in Nigeria. The result shows that respondents who their parents are less than SSCE Certificate holder amounted to 30(15%) while the SSCE/NCE/OND Certificate holders are 96(48%). The number of respondents whose parents are first degree/HND and above certificate holder is 74(37%). This result revealed that respondents whose parents are SSCE/NCE/OND certificate holders are more than first degree/HND holder while less than SSCE holder are just about half of first degree/HND certificate holder counterparts.
The distribution according to family size indicated that respondents from 1 – 5 members were 93(36.5%0 while those from above 5 members were 107(53.5%) and thus, respondents from above 5 members in their family constituted the highest number of sample. On the distribution of respondents by parents’ employment type it indicates that respondents from civil servant were 38(19.0%), self employed were 105 (52.5%) and unemployed were 57(28.5%); respondents from self employed constituted highest frequency, followed by unemployed then civil servant.
    Meanwhile, the analysis of the twenty (20) items on the questionnaire in section B revealed the view of secondary school students on influence of family background on academic performance of students.
Table 2 shows the ranking of the items according to their mean scores in relation to respondents’ views on influence of family background on academic performance of secondary school students. Items 5 with a mean score of 2.75 was ranked 1st and it states that one of the factors that influence academic performance of students is low educational level of parents. Item 4 with a mean score of 2.74 was ranked second and it states that it is difficult for students to read at home because of poor accommodation condition. Ranked 3rd was item 2 with a mean score of 2.66 and it states that the income of father cannot sustain students school fees. Item 3 was ranked 4th with a mean score of 2.65 and states that students could not attend class regularly because of the need to hawk good to support family. Item 1 with mean score of 2.61 was ranked 5th and it state that the number of children in the family affect student ability to concentrate in class.
    Furthermore, item 7 was ranked 6th with mean score of 2.56 and states that students face hard time in school as a result of poor feeding at home. Item 8 ranked 7th with mean score of 2.55 and it states that the polygamous nature of family affects students’ concentration in class. Item 11 was ranked 8th with mean score of 2.54 and it states that students could not participate adequately in class work because they always think about family poor economic condition. Item 12 ranked 9th with mean score of 2.51 and it states that parents could not buy school material for their children and it affect their performance in the class. Item 14 was ranked 10th with mean score of 2.49 and it states that poor relationship between children and parents usually disturbs students concentration in the class.
    Nevertheless, item 6 was ranked 14th with mean score of 2.38 and it states that parents influence the subjects that students offer in school. Item 13 ranked 15th with mean score of 2.35 and states that some parents don’t have a reading room which affects students studies. Item 20 was ranked 18th with mean score of 2.28 and it state that parents do not designate study time for their children which affect academic performance of students.
    Moreover, item 18 was ranked 19th with mean score of 2.16 and it states that there are no educational media in some houses and it affects students performance in school. Ranked last was item 9 with mean score of 1.56 which states that single parenting affects confidence of students in the core subjects.