Relationship Between Socioeconomic Status and Academic Achievement Among Secondary School Students in Kakamega County, Kenya
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Date
2019-10
Authors
Neondo, Fridah Everlyne
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the parents’ socioeconomic factors affecting student’s academic achievement in KCSE in pu lic secondary schools in Marama-south ward Butere sub-county. The main objectives of this research were: Esta lish how parental education level affected student’s academic performance in the KCSE, Examine the extent to which parental occupation influenced the student’s academic achievement in the KCSE and Asses how the household income of the parents affected student’s academic performance in the KCSE in Marama-south, Kakamega County. The study adopted family stress model which proposes that economic pressure experienced y parents’ increases parental stress which are associated with greater hostility generally by parents towards their children. Literature was reviewed along the following themes: parental education level, parental occupation and parental income levels in relation to student academic achievement in the national examination. Correlational research design and Chi-Square statistic were employed. The key variables for the study included independent variable (parental socio-economic status) and dependent variable (student academic achievement in KCSE). The locale of the study was Marama south in Kakamega County. The target population comprised of all the 300 form four students and 240 parents in public secondary schools in Marama south. Probability sampling was employed that yielded a sample size of 175 representing 58% of the students’ population and 175 representing 73% of the parents’ population. Questionnaires for oth students’ and parents’ were used as data collection instruments. Content validity was ensured by checking whether the items in oth students and parents’ questionnaires reflected o jectives stated. The reliability based on scales reported in terms of internal consistency of scores on items purported to measure the same concept. Data was analyzed in three forms; demographic information, descriptive and inferential statistics. Correlation, Regression analyses and Chi-Square tests were used respectively. The findings of the study are presented in tables of frequency distributions, percentages and pie charts. The study established a positive and statistically significant correlation between parental education level, parental occupation, parental income levels and the student academic achievement in the national examination, KCSE (r = 0.628, p = 0.001; r = 0.703, p = 0.001; r = 0.609, p = 0.001) at alpha 0.01 level of statistical significance respectively. Moreover, difference in students’ performance in KCSE in relation to their parents’ level of education was found to be significant (χ2 =56.253, df =6, P =.001). Thus, null hypothesis was rejected. The difference in students’ performance in KCSE in relation to their parents’ occupation was found to be significant (χ2 =87.624, df =6, P =.001), hence the rejection of the null hypothesis. Also, the difference in students’ performance in KCSE in relation to their parents’ income level was found to be significant (χ2 =56.739, df =6, P =.001). The null hypothesis was rejected. With regard to the study findings, the study concluded that the parent’s education level, occupation and income levels determined student’s academic achievement in the national examination, KCSE in Marama south in Kakamega County. It therefore recommended that adult and continuing education provision, expansion of job opportunities at the village level and diversification of sources of income for the residents of Marama south in Kakamega County to be done by individuals, civil societies and the national government.
Description
A Thesis Submitted to the School of Education in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirement for the Degree of Master of Education Economics, Kenyatta University, October 2019
Keywords
Socioeconomic, Academic, Secondary School, Students, Kakamega County, Kenya