An Assessment of the Effect of Parental Socio-Economic Status on the Students’ Academic Performance in Secondary Schools in Karamoja Region a Case Study: Pokot Senior Secondary School, Amudat District

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of parental socio-economic status on students’ academic performance in Karamoja Secondary schools, Karamoja Region, Amudat District. The study sought to establish effect of parental level of education on students academic performance’, parental level of occupation on students academic performance’, and effect of parents level of income on students’ academic performance. A case study survey design was chosen which describes the status of affairs as they exist. Target population was parents’ representatives, teachers, local government officials and students for Pokot Secondary school, Amudat District using a sample size of 112 respondents who constituted of 96 students, 6 teachers, 1 head teacher, 6 parents and 3 local government officials’ who were used to execute the study. Primary data was collected by the use of questionnaires which were used to collect information from students, teachers and parents focused group discussions and finally, interview guide to collect information from local government officials, Quantitative data from the questionnaires was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics using Statistical Package of Social Science (SPSS). The qualitative data was managed through thematic techniques. The findings of the study showed that parents income influences students’ academic performance, parents’ level of education influences students’ academic performance and parents’ occupation influences students’ academic performance to a great extent. In order to improve students’ academic performance the study recommends that; Amudat District should put in place appropriate systems to enhance parental involvement in education; the District Local government and Lower Local governments should Enact Education Ordinance and Bye-Laws to facilitate the process of Law Enforcers to play their role as expected; the government should boost the economic status of households in Pokot County through investing in more income generating projects in the District.; the government should endeavor to look for lucrative markets for Pokot Community Cattle and other produce, in order to raise socio-economic level of the Pokot Community to afford their children’s education and the like and finally; the government should increase bursary allocation to the students from poor families to retain them in school and enhance their academic performance., the school administration should give opportunity to parents to pay fees in kind, for instance, parents who are pastoralists, farmers, casual labors among; others should be allowed to pay using food stuffs, and similarly, parents who cannot afford to pay fees in full should be allowed to do so in installments to ensure retention and completion of post primary education.

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