Relationship between Parental Variables and Students’ Academic Achievement in Biology among Secondary Schools in Agaie Local Government, Niger State, Nigeria

Abstract

Conducive teaching and learning environment are sine qua non for the students’ academic achievement in Science and Technology. Nigeria is one the developing countries facing economic turbulences and persistent poverty that engulfed the quality of living standards over the time. There are limited studies on relationship between parents’ variables (parents’ economic status, type of occupation) and students’ academic achievement especially in Niger State. The researchers conducted a study on relationship between parental income, occupation and students’ academic achievement in Biology among secondary schools in Agaie Local Government, Niger State, Nigeria. The study adopted correlational design and 811 SSII students participated. The sample was 264 (141 males, 123 females) randomly selected from the population. The data was generated using a questionnaire and scores derived from Biology terminal examination across the schools. The questionnaire was validated and was found to be reliable with Cronbach Alpha coefficient of .81. Data was analyzed using Point Biserial Correlation statistic with hypotheses tested at 0.5 level of significance. The findings revealed that there was significant positive relationship between students’ parental income, and their academic achievement in Biology (rpb [264)]= .504, p< 0.05). The findings also indicated that there was insignificant negative relationship between students’ parental type of occupation and their academic achievement in Biology (rpb [264] = -.011, p> 0.05). The authors recommended among others that parents should explore more means of income generation as to enhance student’s academic achievement in secondary schools in Agaie Local Government of Niger State, Nigeria