INFLUENCE OF FAMILY FACTORS ON STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN NAROK SOUTH SUB-COUNTY, NAROK COUNTY, KENYA.

Abstract

At several academic levels, studies on factors influencing academic success have been conducted and most of these studies have concentrated on family Socio Economic Status and school factors. However, not all the factors outside school environment that negatively or positively influence students’ academic performance have been covered. The purpose of this study was therefore to determine the influence of selected family factors on academic performance of secondary school students in Narok South Sub-County, Narok County. The study objectives included: To establish how the family type influences the academic performance of secondary school students, to determine how family type and parental education level influences the academic performance of secondary school students, to examine how the family type and parental involvement influences academic performance of secondary school students and finally to find out if the family type and family size influences academic performance of secondary school students in Narok South Sub County. The research adopted Social Cognitive Theory of 2002 propounded by Albert Bandura. In addition, the study used descriptive research design. The study's target population consisted of 29 public secondary schools in Narok South Sub-County with a total of 1081 form three learners, 232 teachers and approximately 300 parents. The study used a sample of nine schools with 137 students, 24 teachers, and 30 parents. Simple random sampling method was used to select the nine schools and purposive sampling method was used to select students and parents. Data from teachers and students were collected using a questionnaire (teacher and student questionnaire) and data from parents was collected through an interview schedule. Validity of instruments was measured by checking on the content with the help of experts from the department. Data was analyzed both descriptively and inferentially. Descriptive data was analyzed using frequency, percentages while t test and Chi square was used to analyze inferential statistics and establish the relationship between the selected family factors and academic performance of students. The hypothesis on the correlation between family type and students’ academic performance was tested using a t-test, the hypothesis on the relationship between parental level of education, parental participation and family size and academic performance was tested using the Chisquare. The findings of the study showed that the family type had no significant influence on the academic performance of students with 0.713 at 0.05 level of significance. On parental level of education, the findings indicated that there is significance difference on the influence of mothers education from monogamy and polygamous family in favour of polygamous family with 0.051 at 0.05 level of significance, and on the fathers education level there was a significant difference between monogamous and polygamous family in favour of monogamous family , with 0.014 at 0.05 level of significance parental participation and family size had no statistical significant influence on the academic performance of the students from both polygamous and monogamous families with 1.0 at 0.05. Conclusion based on the study was that the family type, parental participation and family size did have no statistical significant influence on the students ’academic performance but parental level of education had a positive influence on the academic performance. The study recommends that parents should be sensitize on the need to participate and support their children academically and that further research on other family factors be done so as to have a clear picture of the influence of family. The outcomes are expected to be beneficial to school administrators, planners, parents and also the students.