Abstract     

The purpose of this study “Parental involvement and its effect on pupil’s academic performance in buea municipality”was to find out if parental involvement has an effect on pupil’s academic performance in Buea Municipality. In addition, to identify those aspects in parental involvement that can boost pupil’s academic performances that is varriablessuch as parents’ financial asistance, parental follow-up moral guidance by parent, custom and tradition and home environment.

The design used in this study was the survey research design. A questionnaire was used in gathering information about pupil’s opinion on “Parental Involvement and its effects on pupil’s academic performance” a simple random sampling technique was used to select the school for the research. A sample of 80 pupils was selected.

The target population of the study was made up of all pupils in the primary schools from classes 5-6 in Buea Municipality. Sample population of the study consisted of 80 pupils from four schools in Buea Municipality.

The instrument used for this study was questionnaire, form the analysis, it was found that parental involvement has an effect on pupil’s academic performance. After the findings of the study, the following suggestions were made: a similar research should be carried out in the same domain on a large sample size, to ensure a better generalization of the findings and more varriables can be use.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Parent involvement is absolutely essential to pupil’s academic performance in school and life. Parent involvement leads to pupils’ success since the overwhelming studies and research indicate that these are positive academic outcome stemming from parental involvement with benefits beginning in early childhood.

The impact that parent have on their child’s academic performance transcends income level and social status, the most accurate predictor of pupils academic performance is not income or social status but the extent to which that pupil parents are able to; create a home environment that encourage learning, express high (but not unrealistic) expectations for their children’s achievement and future career; become involved in their children’s education at school and in the community “if two of these three criteria are accomplished, children of low income families will achieve at or above levels expected of middle class children.

A child’s learning is enhanced when schools encourage parents to stimulate their children intellectual development. Numerous studies have shown that the home environment has a powerful effect in what children’s youth learn, not only in schools but outside of school as well.

This environment is considerably more powerful than the parents’ income and education in influencing what children learn in the first six years of life and during the twelve years of primary and secondary education.

One major reason that parental influence is so strong is because the children spend more than ninety percent of their time from infancy through out their childhood outside school under the influence of their parents. Therefore, ultimately the parents are their first and most important teacher. (Weinstein and Walberg, 1983, Peng and Wright, 1994, Walberg and Paik, 1997).

This chapter will focus on the overview of the study ands has the following sub headings; background of the study, statement of the problem, research objectives, research questions, significance of the study, scope of the study, operational definition of terms

Background of the Study

According to the Advance Learner Dictionary of English Parental involvement is a combination of commitment and active participation on the part of the parent to the pupils. Parent involvement is valuable component of any pupils’ education. It is a well – established fact that parental involvement is linked to children’s success at school. When parents are involved in their children education at home, they do better in school (Henderson and Berla, 1994). The level of parent-school involvement is better predictor of grades than standardized test scores. (Desimone 1999).

All parents want their children to learn. According to Akhtar (2002), education is commonly referred to acquiring knowledge at school in a form of formal education. However, the process of education does not only start when the child attend school but begins at home. Denga (1988), state that home is the first school to teach the children and it is true that the home offers greater opportunities for learning to a child.

The acquisition of knowledge by a child is facilitated if parents can afford to provide enough space, educating toys, story books, picture book. These materials by themselves can not enhance learning. It is the parents’ responsibility to use them in posing questions to the children so as to facilitate teaching – learning process for greater achievement. Parents in turn play an active role in the development of their children through their involvement be it physically, morally, socially as well as intellectually (cognition).

The level of their involvement vary because of their different socio-cultural and economic factors such as moral guidance, parent financial status parental follow-up, social class, religion, home environment as well as tribe. These factors may affect the desire of their children to become responsible men and women since its the desire of parent to ensure that their children attain the same level as they did and even more. Previous studies of Brown (1999) and House (2007) have strong evidence that parental involvement affect pupil academic performance in terms of the parent finance follow up, moral guidance, social class and so on.

The development theory of Piaget (1952) and as cited in Luma (1983) state that the child growth starts from the brain of which it is not a separate entity from  the rest of the body nor does it work in isolation.

The brain grows very fast in size and begins to respond to the needs of the environment by exploring it, looking and touching, solving the problem of trial and error through manipulative play. This builds up a child which is the basis of all the later intellectual activities (Brierley, 1976), so parents have to help their children in explaining their environment and providing them playing tools that are educative to help solving the of trail and error.

The 1989 UN Conventions on the right of an African child (C.R.C) Article 11 says every child have the right to be educated, thus parents involvement is required. Also Article 26 (3) states parties shall undertake to provide whenever possible, material assistance to such children and to direct their effort towards the elimination of all forms of discrimination and apartheid on the African content. The history of children can be traced as far back as 1951 when a small group of women known as (C.D.C expatriates wives) in Bota agreed to form a joint play group for their children of 2 years and above (Spring 2006, Volume 8, issue 3)

Statement of the Problem

During the researcher’s first experience, she observed with keen interest that at level one (class two) some pupils could expressed themselves so well and could even spell two – three (2-3) words while others found it difficult to express themselves and spell.

As a matter of fact, she realized a group of pupils who were often found roaming the streets during school hours, some disturb and make a lot of noise in the classroom when lesson is going on, others talk to teachers without respect and when they are given assignments to do at home, they do not do it. After contacting some of these pupils the researcher had a variety of complains from them; some complained of no text books, fees not paid, uniform not yet bought, no writing materials while others just decides to join their friends.

The above factors prompted the researcher to find out if parental involvement has an effect on pupil’s academic performance.

Purpose of the Study (Research Objectives)

General Objective

This study is to find out the effect of parental involvement on pupil’s academic performance within the Buea Municipality.

Specific Objectives

1. To find out if parent’ financial status affect pupils’ academic performance
2. To find out if parental follow-up affects pupils’ academic performance
3. To find out if moral guidance affects pupils’ academic performance
4. To find out if custom and tradition affect pupils’ academic performance
5. To find out if home environment affects pupils’ academic performance

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