Influence of Home Environment on the Academic Performance of the Students in Some Selected Schools in Dekina Local Government Area in Kogi State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigates empirically the influence of home environment on the academic performance of the students in some selected schools in Dekina Local Government Area in Kogi State, Nigeria. The study was anchored on Charles Darwin Social Theory and Theory of Parent Involvement. The researcher used mainly primary data from a sample of 120 respondents obtained by the use of a well-structured questionnaire. The data collected were analyzed using multiple linear regression analysis. The probability value of the estimate was used for accepting and rejecting the hypotheses of the study. The result of the regression analysis indicates that a positive relationship exist between parents’ economic status (PES) and Students Academic  Performance (SAP) in selected schools in Dekina Local Government Kogi State, Nigeria and the relationship is statistically significant (p<0.05). A positive relationship exist between parents educational background (PEB) and Students' Academic  Performance (SAP) in selected schools in Dekina Local Government Kogi State, Nigeria and the relationship is statistically significant (p<0.05). Parental marital style (PMS) was negatively related to Students' Academic Performance (SAP) in selected schools in Dekina Local Government Kogi State, Nigeria. Home location of parent (HLP) was positively related to Students' Academic  Performance (SAP) in selected schools in Dekina Local Government Kogi State, Nigeria and the relationship is statistically significant (p<0.05) and in line with a priori expectation. It was concluded that parents’ economic statuses, parental educational backgrounds, parental marital Styles, and home locations of parents all do have varying degrees of effects on the performance of students in the study area. It was recommended among others that illiterate parents should be encouraged to go to school, in that their literacy will enhance their children academic achievement in schools.