Relationship between Parents’ Attitude towards Educational Involvement and Academic Performance of Day Secondary School Students in Samia - Kenya

Abstract

The study attempted to establish the relationship between parents’ attitude towards educational involvement and academic performance of day secondary school students in Samia district. The theoretical framework of this study was derived from functionalist and learning theories. Data for this study was collected from primary sources. The research instruments were questionnaires for students and parents, interview schedules for parents and teachers. The study population comprised of 1804 students, 80 parents representatives and 51 teachers. Cross-section survey design was adopted based on a sample drawn from five secondary schools in the study area. Purposive sampling was used to select a sample 18 teachers and 36 parents while stratified random sampling was used in the selection of 180 students. Spearman Brown Prophesy coefficient formula was used to test the internal consistency of all research instruments. Content validity of research instruments was ascertained by thesis supervisors. Reliability coefficients of the research instruments were approximately 0.70 at 0.05 level of significance. Data collected was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical analysis. ANOVA was used with the help of SPSS to carry out inferential analysis. Descriptive statistics (frequency counts, means and percentages) were used in analyzing data. The findings of the study show that parental attitude towards education involvement affects academic performance of day secondary school students in Samia district. The study concluded that parental attitude towards educational involvement affects students’ performance. The study recommended that school administrators and policy makers find ways of enhancing parental involvement towards education.

Key words:  Academic performance, Attitude, Educational involvement, Parents, Relationship