Home background and student academic performance in secondary schools in Lubaga Division, Kampala District

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of home background on students’ academic performance in secondary schools in Lubaga Division Kampala Division. The study was conducted in that particular area because in the past two years, students’ academic performance in schools has been deteriorating tremendously. Specifically, the study was intended to achieve the following objectives: (1) to establish how family income affects academic performance in secondary schools in Lubaga Division Kampala District; (2) to establish how parents’ education level affects academic performance in secondary schools, Lubaga Division Kampala District; and (3) to establish how parents’ religiosity affect academic performance in secondary schools in Lubaga Division Kampala District. The study adopted a correlational, cross-survey research design. Quantitative and qualitative approaches of data collection were employed. A total of 171 respondents constituted the sample of the study. These were students from Lubiri S.S., Kitebi S.S and Nateete Muslim High School. The researcher used two types of research instruments that is; self-administered questionnaire (SAQs) and administering an English test.

The results established that there was no relationship between family income and students academic performance; two, it established that parents’ level of education positively influenced students’ academic performance, and thirdly, that there was no significant relationship in the level of parents’ religiosity and students’ academic performance. The conclusions of the study were that there was only a positive significant influence between one independent variable (level of education of parents) on students’ academic performance; the other two independent variables (family income and parents’ religiosity) had no significant influence on students’ academic performance. Recommendations were made focusing mainly on students’ home background (family income, education level and religiosity) through training, sensitization, adult literacy education to enable parents get equipped with skills and knowledge in order to improve on their children’ academic performance.