Impact of Family Background On the Students’ Academic Performance in Selected Secondary Schools A Case Study of Pallisa District, Eastern Uganda

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION

APPROVAL

.

ii

DEDICATION

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT iv

ABSTRACT v

ABBREVIATIONS ix

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 Back ground of the study 1

1.2 Statement of the problem 3

1.3. Purpose of the study 3

1.4. Research objectives 3

1.4.1 General research objective 3

1.4.2 Specific research objectives 4

1.5 Research questions 4

1.6 Research hypotheses 4

1.7 Scope of the study 4

1.8 Significance of the study 4

CHAPTER rrwo 6

LITERATURE REVIEW 6

2.1 Introduction 6

2.2Theoretical Review 6

Socialization theory 6

2.3 Academic Performance 7

2.4 Family Financial Situation 8

vi

2.5 Parental Marital Status 9

2.6 Parental Education Level 11

2.8 Conceptual framework 12

2.9.1 Explanation of the conceptual framework 14

2.2 Conceptual definitions 14

CHAPTER THREE 15

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 15

3.1 Introduction 15

3.2 Research design 15

3.3 Target population 15

3.4 Sampling procedure and sample size 16

3.5 Data collection instruments and procedure 16

3.6 Reliability of the instruments 16

3.7 Validity of the instruments 17

3.8 Data analysis techniques 17

CHAPTER FOUR 18

PRESENTATION, DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF FINDINGS 18

4.0 Introduction 1 8

4.1 Demographic characteristics of respondents 18

4.1.1 Age of the respondents 18

4.1.2 Gender of the Respondents 19

4.1.3 Level of Education of the respondents 20

4.1.4 Level of Experience 21

4.2 The impact of the family financial situation on academic performance in Pallisa District. 23

4.3 The parents education level on academic performance in Pallisa district 25

4.4 The impact of parental marital status and Academic performance 27

CHAPTER FIVE 29

vi’

2.5 Parental Marital Status 9

2.6 Parental Education Level 11

2.8 Conceptual framework 12

2.9.1 Explanation of the conceptual framework 14

2.2 Conceptual definitions 14

CHAPTER THREE 15

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 15

3.1 Introduction 15

3.2 Research desigfl 15

3.3 Target population 15

3.4 Sampling procedure and sample size 16

3.5 Data collection instruments an~procedure 16

3.6 Reliability of the instruments 16

3.7 Validity of the instruments 1 7

3.8 Data analysis techniques 17

CHAPTER FOUR 18

PRESENTATION, DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF FINDINGS 18

4.0 Introduction 18

4.1 Demographic characteristics of respondents 18

4.1.1 Age of the respondents 18

4.1.2 Gender of the Respondents 19

4.1.3 Level of Education of the respondents 20

4.1.4 Level of Experience 21

4.2 The impact of the family financial situation on academic performance in Pallisa District. 23

4.3 The parents education level on academic performance in Pallisa district 25

4.4 The impact of parental marital status and Academic performance 27

CHAPTER FIVE 29

VII

ABBREVIATIONS

‘0’ level Ordinary level

‘A’ level Advanced level

UCE Uganda Certificate of Education

UACE Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education

USA United States of America

SPSS Statistical Package for Social Sciences

MS-excel Microsoft excel

UK United Kingdom

KIU Kampala International University

ABSTRACT

Education is one of the basic needs for human development and to escape from poverty, Uganda is one of the developing countries in the race of educating her citizens in order to eradicate illiteracy and equip the individuals with basic skills and knowledge. Nevertheless, subsequent research has corroborated the finding that family background is strongly correlated with students’ performance in schools Therefore this research was to find out the impact of family background on students’ academic performance in selected secondary schools of Pallisa district. The study had three specific objectives which included; finding out the impact of family financial status on academic performance, impact of parental education level on academic performance and impact of parental marital status on academic performance of students in Pallisa district. The respondents were employees from kabwangasi secondary school and kakoro high school. Data was collected by the use of questionnaires; the data was then analysed using SPSS computer programme. The findings of the study showed that family financial status, parental academic level and parental marital status had a positive impact on the academic performance of students. The researcher recommended that for children to attain academic achievements, the family should have stable income and therefore there is need to empower families with businesses to improve on their financial status to be able to pay for their children’s education. Finally the researcher outlined areas for future research and these included; Parental role on Academic performance, Student’s relatives and Academic performance and Family size and Academic performance.