Socio Economic Background of Parents as Correlate of Academic Performance of Biology Students in a Selected School in Ekiti-State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of socio-economic background of parents on students’ academic performance in Biology in Mary Immaculate Grammar School, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria. This study identified the good and poor academic performance of students could be explained the role of socio-economic background of parents as to students from high socio-economic background performance determinants in their academics than students from a low socio-economic background was established to be true. The research findings showed that socio- economic backgrounds have much effect on academic performance of students. Therefore, the good and poor academic performance could be greatly explained by certain variables of socio- economic background. A sample of 80 students were selected randomly among Mary Immaculate Grammar School, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State. A questionnaire that has items of family income, family educational background and family type was the only instrument used. Descriptive statistics was used for data analysis and data presentation. The result of the findings (80%) revealed that students from the high socio- economic background performed better than their counterparts from average and poor homes. Thus, socio-economic factor has great influence on students’ performance at school. It is hoped that further researches on the extent to which socio-economic background affects the academic performance of students were carried out to know if this factor affects most of the students in the country, so as to consider the factor when planning the curriculum and also proffering solution to this important factor.