The effect of socio-economic background of parents on the academic performance of students. A case of four selected senior high schools in the Kumasi Metropolis

Abstract

The study was conducted to determine the effects of parents‟ socio-economic status on students‟ academic performance in four selected public Senior High Schools in Kumasi Metropolis. Descriptive survey design using mixed method approach was employed for the study. The target population for this study consisted of all students, parents and teachers of the four selected public Senior High Schools in Kumasi Metropolis. Simple random technique specifically the lottery method was used to select the four Senior High Schools that participated in the study. In all a sample size of 402 consisting of 340 students, 54 teachers and 8 parents participated in the study. Questionnaire and interview guide were the tools used to collect data for the study. The findings of the study revealed that parents‟ income level had an influence on students‟ academic performance in school. Again, the study revealed that parents‟ educational level also have an influence on students‟ academic performance. Finally, the study revealed that Parents who work in the formal sector are able to provide the required educational materials for their children and these children tend to perform better than their counterparts whose parents work in the informal sector. This implies that there is a relation between parents‟ occupation and students‟ academic performance. It is thus recommended that Government of Ghana through the Ministry of Education should increase bursary allocation to students from poor families to retain them in school and enhance their academic performance.