Man as a social being is endowed with different abilities to explore his environment and possibly to improve the lots of mankind. That is why there are differences in educational attainment of students. However, these variances are not only found in students’ characteristics like hereditary, age, sex and intelligence quotients which are believed to relate more strongly to his/her achievement levels. A considerable portion of variation in students could be accounted for, in other forms via socio-economic status of parents, family and environment, (family size), beliefs, value and prestige, reward of higher educational parental choice etc. The effects of socio-economic background of parents on the achievement of their children in school have been a great factor in the recent decade in academic system in the country. Socialization is the study of the society. Various sociological schools of thought have asserted that in deciding whether a child performs well or not at school is of immense importance to identify the difference between the influence of the socio-economic background of parents and their children’s academic achievement and attainment.

1. EFFECTS OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC BACKGROUND OF PARENTS
ON THE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF THEIR CHILDREN IN
SECONDARY SCHOOLS
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Man as a social being is endowed with different abilities to explore
his environment and possibly to improve the lots of mankind. That is why
there are differences in educational attainment of students.
However, these variances are not only found in students’
characteristics like hereditary, age, sex and intelligence quotients which are
believed to relate more strongly to his/her achievement levels. A
considerable portion of variation in students could be accounted for, in
other forms via socio-economic status of parents, family and environment,
(family size), beliefs, value and prestige, reward of higher educational
parental choice etc.

2. The effects of socio-economic background of parents on the
achievement of their children in school have been a great factor in the
recent decade in academic system in the country.
Socialization is the study of the society. Various sociological schools
of thought have asserted that in deciding whether a child performs well or
not at school is of immense importance to identify the difference between
the influence of the socio-economic background of parents and their
children’s academic achievement and attainment.
Coleman (1975) and Medill (1963) have argued that parental financial
position and their level of education also reflects strongly on students’
performances. This is so because it is generally accepted that the educated
parents mostly value education. However, the background of a child
affects his success in schools.
Levine and Harighurt (1975) discovered that all societies large or
small, primitive or modern show social status group phenomenon of ranks.
The leader and people of high esteem occupying position at the top, others

3. occupy intermediate position, yet others are at the foot of the ladder in
social scale.
Social environmental factors have been found to affect educational
achievement of a child. These factors include:
a. Occupational status of his parents.
b. The parent’s attitude towards their children’s school and expectation
that they have for their children.
Boocock (1973) and Durbey (1972 & 1973) explain that parents of
socio-economic upper class have more positive attitudes towards their
children schooling and also have high expectations and standard for the
children as they are given high motivation of success in school.
The status of parents determines the type of education that the child
is bound to receive; wealthy parents often allow their children to attend
private schools, while the less privilege or opportune parents send their
children to public school where the school fees are affordable to them.
Students’ progress through school is reflected not only in grades list scores

4. and accounts of personal behavior in the classroom but in the
characteristics.
Parents not only train children towards the social norms of the
society but improve their socio-economic background towards achieving a
stated goal. It’s therefore, imperative and immense benefit to look at the
effect of socio-economic background of parents on the academic
achievement of their children in schools.
1.2 Statement of Problem
This project is designed to investigate the effect of socio-economic
background on the academic achievement of their children in school at
Igueben Local Government Area of Edo State.
The research aimed at investigating the extent of the following sub-
problems:
1. To what extent does parents’ background usually affect their
children’s academic performance?

5. 2. To what extent do children from the home of low income group
attend school regularly because of their parents’ inability to provide
for school requirements and equipment adequately?
3. To what extent there exist good parents – child relationship, how
such affects their children’s academic performance?
1.3 Research Questions
To evaluate the socio-economic background as it affects the academic
achievement of children in schools, the following research questions were
raised:
1. Is there any significant difference between children from wealthy
parents and those from poor parents in terms of academic
achievement?
2. Is there any major difference between the academic ends,
achievements of children from broken home and children from
unbroken homes?

6. 3. Is there difference between the academic performance of children
from polygamous families and the children from monogamous
families?
4. Is there significant difference between the academic achievement of
children from educated home and those from uneducated homes?
5. Is there any significant difference in academic performance between
children from large family and those from small family?
1.4 Research Hypotheses
i. There is no significant difference between children from
wealthy parents and those from poor parents in terms of
academic achievement.
ii. There is no difference in the academic performance of children
from polygamous families and the children from monogamous
families.
iii. There is no significant difference in academic performance
between children from large family and those from small
family.

7. iv. There is no significant difference in the academic achievement
of children from educated homes and those from uneducated
homes.
v. There is no major difference in the academic achievements of
children from broken homes and children from unbroken
homes.
1.5 Purpose of the Study
The purpose of the study is to investigate and determine to what
extent parents’ education, wealth, parents-child relationship, types of
family, size of family etc influence academic performance or achievement
of pupils in Igueben Local Government Area of Edo State and make
suitable recommendations to ameliorate them.
1.6 Significance of the Study
It is believed that this study will highlight the effects of the socio-
economic background of parents on the academic achievements of their
children in schools in Igueben Local Government Area.

8. These findings will no doubt influence parents or government to be
well informed in order not to be misled about the socio-economic variable
that affect students’ educational achievements.
The findings will help educate parents on how best to attain the best
academic achievement of their children. It also exposes teachers,
counselors and educationist to the problem facing students’ academic
performance like emotional instability, tension brought from poor homes.
Conclusively, this work will give useful recommendations to
government and parents on how to improve the academic achievement of
their students in schools.
1.7 Scope and Delimitation
This study is focused on how the socio-economic background of
parents affects their children’s academic performance in school in the
present day, in Igueben Local Government Area of Edo State.
Limitation
The possibility of the respondents being hesitant to give the timely
responses, even after being assured of confidentiality. This may result in

9. some inaccurate result; some biased responses from some of the
respondents may also affect the accuracy of the findings.
1.8 Definition of Terms
In order to avoid misinterpretation of terms, the following terms
used in this study and their definitions are given in accordance in this
study as follows:
Socio-economic Status: The socio-economic status of an individual in a
family within any given society is determined by the level of education,
income, occupational background and other criteria of social class.
Academic Achievement/Performance: This refers to how much an
individual has achieved or attain after a course of instructional training in a
school settings.
Polygamous Family: This is a custom in which a man is married to more
than one wife at a time.

10. MonogamousFamily: This is the practice of a man being married to a wife
at a time.
Broken Home: This is a situation whereby the parents of the homes are
apart or divorced, that is the parents of a child are not living together (in
most cases, the children lack care, security and training).
Unbroken Home: Here the co-operation exists between the father, mother
and children, because they are together and not divorced. In this practice
the children enjoy care, security, training, etc. So the child is well catered
for.
EDITOR SOURCE: Effects Of Socio-Economic Background Of Parents
On The Academic Achievement Of Their Children In Secondary
Schools In Nigeria