INFLUENCE OF PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT, PARENT-CHILD COMMUNICATION AND PEER GROUPS ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN KONTAGORA, NIGER STATE

Abstract

The study investigated the Influence of Parental Involvement, Parent-child Communication and Peer Groups on the Academic Performance of Public Secondary School Students in Kontagora, Niger State. The study adopted mixed-methods research design with a total population of all the 17662 students in all the 19 public secondary schools in Kontagora Local Government Area. Convenient sampling was used to select 372 students, eight (8) pubic secondary schools with 96 students as sample from the original 372 sample for qualitative studies; 48 teachers, and 48 parents across the sampled schools. The study was guided by three research questions and hypotheses respectively. Three research instruments including a self-structured questionnaire titled “Parent-Child Communication Questionnaire (PCCQ) and Achievement Test were used for data collection and Focus Group Discussion Schedule/Guide. The reliability coefficient for the PCCQ was determined using Cronbach Alpha which yielded an r value of 0.73, while reliability coefficient of Qualitative instrument yielded r value of 0.76. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the research data collected at 0.05 level of significance. Qualitative data obtained from interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. The study revealed that parental involvement influences students’ academic performance, it was discovered that parent child communication affects the academic performance of the students and also peer influence. There is a significant relationship between parent-child communication and academic performance (r=0.237, p<0.05). The study also discovered a negative significant relationship between parental involvement and academic performance. (r=-0.124, p<0.05). Likewise, the finding also revealed negative but significant relationship between parental involvement and academic performance. (r=-0.124, p<0.05). The study concluded that parental-child communication; parental involvement and peer group influence has a significant influence on the academic performance of public secondary school students. The study recommends that parents should ensure an open, readily available and positive parent-child communication in order to enhance students’ academic performance. Parents should be fully involved in their children/wards education.