PERCEIVED INFLUENCE OF SOCIOECONOMIC BACKGROUND ON BIOLOGY STUDENTS LEARNING OUTCOME IN MKPAT ENIN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA

This study examined socioeconomic background and academic performance of SS two Biology students amongst public secondary schools in Mkpat Enin Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. Sub construct of the independent variables examined were; parental occupation, parents educational background and family size while the dependent variable is students’ academic performance in Biology. Three research questions and three research hypotheses were formulated respectively to guide the study. Literature was reviewed based on the variables in the study. The research design adopted descriptive survey research design. The population for this study comprised one thousand nine hundred senior secondary school two Biology students in 16 public schools in the area. One hundred and fifty SSS two students who offered Biology in public secondary schools were randomly selected for this study. Two public secondary schools were also selected as sample schools for the study. The instrument used for data collection was a 21-item questionnaire named perceived influence of socioeconomic background and biology students learning outcome (PISBBSLOQ) constructed by the researcher. Draft copies of the instruments were given to two experts in the area of measurement and evaluation in the Department of Science Education to ensure the validity of the instrument. Reliability of the instrument was determined using Cronbach Alpha reliability statistics. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions while independent t-test statistics was used for the analyses of issues in the research hypotheses. Each of the hypotheses was tested at .05 level of significance. The findings of the study revealed that there was a significant of parental occupation, parents educational background and family size on the academic performance of SSS two students in Biology in Mkpat Enin Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. Based on the findings, it was recommended amongst others that parents of low socioeconomic background should be empowered to enable them provide for the basic needs of their children inorder to enhance their academic performance in Biology.