INFLUENCE OF FAMILY BACKGROUND ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF PUPILS IN PRE-PRIMARY SCHOOL IN ANIOCHA SOUTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF DELTA STATE
Abstract
This study examined the influence of family background on the academic performance of pre-primary school pupils in Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State. Specifically, it investigated the effects of parental socio-economic status, family size, parental educational background, and broken home structures on pupils' academic outcomes. The study adopted a descriptive survey design and targeted a population of 1,212 pupils across selected government-owned pre-primary schools. A sample of 39 respondents was drawn using the Taro Yamane formula and stratified random sampling technique. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using mean based on a 4-point Likert scale.Findings revealed that family background significantly influences academic performance in various dimensions. Parental socio-economic status (weighted mean = 3.33), educational background (weighted mean = 3.21), and family size (weighted mean = 3.05) all had substantial effects on children’s academic performance, while children from broken homes (weighted mean = 2.99) faced emotional and financial constraints that impacted learning negatively. Despite all variables showing significant mean scores above the decision benchmark (2.50), the null hypotheses were retained due to the descriptive nature of the statistical analysis.The study concluded that favorable family background conditions such as higher parental education, stable home environments, and manageable family sizes are critical to academic success at the foundational level. Recommendations include enhanced parental engagement, government support for disadvantaged families, and community-based educational interventions. The research contributes to understanding how early home environments shape educational outcomes in rural Nigerian settings and provides a baseline for policy and curricular development aimed at improving early childhood education.
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