Abstract

EFFECT OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC BACKGROUND ON SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS? ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS IN MATHEMATICS

Ehiwario, J.C., Aghamie, S.O. and Nwaka, R.N.

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The study examined the effect of socio-economic background on students? academic achievement in mathematics. The study adopted a simple opinion survey research design. The population comprises all the students (both public and private) in secondary schools in Ika South Local Government Area. Stratified random sampling scheme was used to select a sample size of 100 students from the population. Questionnaire was used as the instrument for data collection and the data collected were analyzed using simple percentage and chi-square ( 2) statistical methods. The study revealed among other things that financial/economic status of a family has a significant relationship with student?s academic performance in mathematics. Also that family size of a student has significant influence on his/her performance in mathematics. The study equally revealed that the educational status of a family affects the level of achievement of a child. The study then concludes that parental economic status, students? family size, educational status of the parents, parents? marital status among others are some of the socio-economic factors that affect the student?s performance in mathematics. The study recommends among other things that the Government should provide education facilities and scholarship for those students from the lower economics status in the society, the Government should increase the rate of education/enlightenment campaign on family planning and child spacing to help reduce child birth to the number parents can take good care of. Keywords: Socio-economic background, Achievement, Mathematics, Educational status, Marital status and family size.

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