Abstract

This study investigates the Impact of Family Background on Student’s Academic Achievement in the Buea municipality. This study had as objectives of examining the influence of parental level of education on secondary student’s academic achievement, to examine the influence of parenting style on secondary school students’ academic achievement in the Buea municipality, to investigate the influence of family size on secondary school students’ academic achievement in the Buea municipality, and to examine the influence of nutrition and diet on secondary school students’ academic achievement in the Buea municipality. The research design for this study was the survey research design. The population of the study was made up of students of three secondary schools in the Buea municipality.

The researcher targeted students from B.G.S Molyko, Baptist Comprehensive Secondary School, and Summerset Bilingual High School. Findings revealed that, family background has an influence on student academic achievement. This was attributed to the fact that there exist a strong relationship between family background and student’s academic achievement. Base on the findings of this study, in order to improve on the family background of students, the following recommendations may be considered.

There is need for Parents to strive for continuous learning and create a home environment rich in educational materials. They should adopt the authoritative parenting practices that encourage independence, responsibility, and communication. Schools and Teachers should equally consider fostering school-parent partnerships through PTA meetings, parenting workshops, and student performance reports.

CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

Introduction.

The academic achievement of students is a multifaceted phenomenon that has garnered significant attention from educators, policymakers, and researchers. Academic Achievement refers to the extent to which a student has attained their learning objectives, as demonstrated through their performance on various academic tasks, such as tests, quizzes, projects, and assignments. It is a multidimensional construct that encompasses various aspects of student learning, including: Cognitive achievement, affective achievement, and Psychomotor achievement, Bloom(1976). Academic achievement is often influenced by various factors, one of which is Family Background.

Family background refers to the social, economic, educational, and cultural conditions in which a person is raised. It includes factors such as parental education, parenting style, family size and nutrition and diet that influence a child’s development and academic performance. Family background plays a crucial role in shaping a student’s attitudes, learning opportunities, and overall success in education. Understanding the relationship between family background and academic achievement is essential for educators, policymakers, and parents to develop strategies that support student success.

In the context of Buea Municipality, where students come from diverse family structures and socioeconomic conditions, examining how these factors influence academic performance is particularly relevant.

This study aims to explore the extent to which family background influences students’ academic achievement in secondary schools within the Buea Municipality. It examines how factors such as parent level of education, parenting style, family size, and nutrition and diet influence student’s academic achievement and thereby, reducing  educational disparities among students.

This chapter provides the foundation for the study by discusing the following sub-topics: the background to the study, the statement of the problem, the objectives of the study, the research questions, the research hypothesis, the justification of the study, the significance of the study, the scope of the study,   the operational definition of key terms, and the chapter summary.

Background to the study.

The background to the study consists of a historical, conceptual, theoretical and contextual background which is discussed below.

Historically, the parents of a child constitute the family of that child. In addition, family is a place in which children learn to interpret realities. According to Wary and Passman (1996), parents serve as significant interpreters to children for information about the world and children ability. Hall, Kelly, Hansen and Vulwein, (1996) said family influence is an important force in preparing students for their role as workers.

Young people form their attitude about work and career because of interaction with the family. Family background provides the basis on which a student’s career planning and decision making evolves. However, within each family, the level of involvement can very positively or negatively. In ancient Greece and Rome, childhood ended by approximately the age of six. After that, children were viewed as adults Cunningham, (2005).

During the Renaissance period, children were often seen wearing adult-like clothing and were treated as mini-adults. Life was centered around the “Renaissance man” an individual who was cultured and an expert in many different subject areas, like the arts and sciences Bigner & Gerhardt, (2014). Thus, parenting and life was adult-cantered.

The historical context of parent background provides a starting point for how parenting styles and practices have shifted in the United States of America. During Colonial times, the Puritan beliefs shaped the way Americans viewed the needs of their children. The term Puritan means “against pleasure” and thus, “play” was considered sinful Mintz, (2006).

During this time, they wanted to raise obedient children and thus, parents provided religious training to children by teaching them to memorize scriptures. This approach was also adult-centered. It was also a uni-directional approach, with parents having significant power over their children. Today, this parenting style would be called authoritarian.

In the Nineteenth century, there was a shift towards thinking about what children may need to grow and develop. During the industrial revolution, many fathers who were the primary disciplinarians in the household went away to work in manufacturing jobs. With this, there was a shift towards environmentalism.

Mother’s played a more central role in becoming role models for their children and providing them with a range of experiences to develop their children to the fullest potential. Early Develop mentalism also emerged; this was a movement that stemmed from Europe and advocated early education for children based on their unique, individual developmental needs.

With more knowledge about how children learn and develop, there was conflicting research on what works best for children. While some researchers advocated for more permissive styles e.g., Freud, Spock, (1967) where the child must be understood and needs must be met, others e.g., Watson, (1988) advocated for a behaviorist approach which advocated for a child’s impulses to be controlled in order to raise obedient children. Hence, the pendulum was swinging between adult-centred and child-centred approaches.

Conceptually, an understanding of the key concepts related to this study are provided, which includes the independent variable, it’s indicators and the dependent variable. The main concepts of this study are family background, and children’s academic achievement, with particular focus on parents education level, parenting style, family size and nutrition.

Family background refers to all the conditions and circumstances in the family which influence the child physically, intellectually and emotionally Muola, (2010). Children coming from different family backgrounds are affected differently by such family conditions; that is why some children have good backgrounds while others have poor backgrounds.

Citing fleegeand Eke (1999) noted that with some families, the background may vary from time to time for the same individuals. Formal education, therefore, remains the vehicle for human development, which must start from the family.

Parents education level has significant implications and impacts on children’s academic achievement. Shumow et al. (2004), says that Parental level of education means the highest educational level that has been attained by the parent who lives with the child. The level can be; primary level, secondary level or tertiary. Karshen (2003) says parental education is linked to academic success, stating that “students whose parents are well educated get higher positions than those whose parents are not educated.”

Parents level of education affects the academic achievement of children in such a way that educated parents know the importance of education and motivates their children to study more effectively. Children also get motivated by the high education level of their parents and strive more to achieve higher marks in their studies.

Parenting Style is a constellation of parents’ attitudes and behaviors toward children and an emotional climate in which the parents’ behaviors are expressed, Darling and Steinberg (1993). They emphasized the importance of distinguishing between parenting styles (overall emotional climate) and parenting practices (specific behaviors). Diane Baumrid identified three types of parenting styles, involving the authoritarian, authoritative, and permissive. Baumrind identified the authoritative style as the most beneficial, characterised by high expectations, warmth, and open communication, leading to positive academic outcomes.

Family size has to do with the total number of people in a single family which may include the father, mother, children and even the extended members, all living in one hamlet. According to Alio (1995) family size has implications for education. Families are of different sizes. The author emphasizes that the size of the family determines to a great extent the relative amount of physical attention and time which each child gets from his or her parents.

Large families are more common among the lower class of the society. Children in large families may suffer poverty and lack parental encouragement and stimulus which motivates their academic achievement Amon, (2005). Similarly, smaller family size has been linked with high academic achievement Majoribank, (1996). Majoribank further notes that students with fewer siblings are likely to receive more parental attention and have support that leads to better school performance.

Academic achievement is the knowledge obtained or skills developed in the school subject, usually designed by test scores or marks assigned by the teacher, Good (2009). In this study, academic achievement is the extent to which a student, teacher or institution has achieved his/her educational goals. It is commonly measured by examinations or continuous assessments.

Theoretically, this study made use of three (03) major theories, that is Charles Cooley theory of Socialization (1929), Maslow’s Motivational Theory (1970) and the Karl Marx Conflict theory (1818). Charles Cooley developed socialization theory in 1929 and it refers to the parenting practices that influence children’s development.

Socialization is a lifelong process that involves inheriting and disseminating norms, customs and ideologies hence providing an individual with the skills and habits that are necessary for participating within one’s society. Socialization, therefore, is the means through which individuals acquire skills that are necessary to perform as functional members of their societies and is the most influential learning process.

The theory is vital to this study as it added to the knowledge of socialization theory by relating the influence that family background has on only one aspect of a child’s life, which is academic achievement. Further, it tested to find out whether this model is applicable in a developing country scenario, which is Cameroon and specifically Limbe Municipality.

Maslow’s Motivational Theory is also relevant to this study. According to Maslow, motivation is constant and never-ending, fluctuating and complex. He asserted that man always has needs to satisfy. These needs, according to him are arranged in a hierarchical order starting from the basic or lower-order needs to higher-order needs.

The hierarchy is categorized into two, namely Deficit needs (physiological, safety, belonging, and self-esteem) and growth needs (self-actualization).

Maslow explained that once a particular need is satisfied, it ceases to be a motivator of behavior and another need emerges. The theory relates to this study because motivation is very important in learning. It is necessary at home and in school.

Karl Marx’s Conflict theory was also vital for the study. The conflict theory sees the purpose of education as maintaining social inequality and preserving the power of those who dominate society. Conflict theorists agree that the educational system practices sorting, and argue that schools sort along distinct class and ethnic lines.

According to conflict theorists, schools train those in the working classes to accept their position as lower-class members of society. Conflict theorists call this role of education the “hidden curriculum.” According to the theory, children from the low socio-economic status will be given equal treatment as lower class kids in school and society compared with those from high socio-economic status. The theory points out that while private schools are expensive and generally reserved for the upper classes, public schools, especially those that serve the poor, are underfunded, understaffed, and growing worse.

Contextually, academic achievement is a critical factor in shaping students’ future opportunities, career paths, and overall societal contribution. However, in the Buea municipality, students’ performance in school is influenced by multiple factors, with family background playing a fundamental role. Family background, which includes parental education, parenting style, family size, and nutritional status significantly impacts children learning experiences and academic success, both positively and negatively.

On the positive note, family background enhances educational support. Families with educated parents or guardians in the Buea municipality often provide better academic guidance, learning resources, and motivation, leading to improved academic performance. Also, a supportive and loving family environment fosters emotional well-being, helping children develop confidence, resilience, and positive social skills. A stable financial background allows access to quality education, healthcare, and extracurricular activities, which contribute to overall development and academic success. Some families in Buea equally instill moral values, discipline, and a strong work ethic, which help children develop responsible behavior and good decision-making skills. Each of these aspects contributes to a child’s personal and academic growth, shaping their future and academic achievement.

However, family background especially in the Buea municipality was not without challenges or negativity. One of it’s primary challenge is limited educational support. If parents have low educational attainment, they may struggle to assist with schoolwork, provide academic motivation, or guide their children toward higher education. Additionally, families with low income may have difficulty affording quality education, school materials, or extracurricular activities, limiting a child’s learning opportunities. Unstable home environment is also an important challenge of family background in the Buea municipality. Family conflicts, divorce, or frequent relocations can create emotional distress, leading to poor concentration and lower academic performance for the students of such families. Furthermore, Overly strict, neglectful, or permissive parenting can negatively affect a child’s confidence, independence, and decision-making skills. Lastly, Poor family backgrounds may result in inadequate nutrition and healthcare, affecting cognitive development, concentration, and overall school performance.

Statement of the Problem.

Societies all over the world strive to achieve quantitative education for their citizenry. To achieve this noble course, so many factors must be put into consideration. Amongst them is the family background of the child. The family has a great role to play in the overall development of the child and his educational upbringing in particular. The performance of students and academic excellence constitute a great source of worry and serious concern as well as discomfiture to both parents, schools’ managers, policymakers and various governments responsible for the education of students in secondary school schools.

The government of Cameroon has made significant efforts to promote and support family backgrounds at all levels, even as to improve students’ academic achievement. These efforts include the introduction of free primary education to increase access to education and reduce financial burdens on families. The government has implemented family support programs to support vulnerable families, including those affected by poverty, HIV/AIDS, and conflict. Parental education initiatives have also been launched to educate parents on their roles and responsibilities in supporting their children’s education. Conditional cash transfer programs have been introduced to incentivize families to invest in their children’s education and healthcare.

Despite the efforts put in place by the government to promote and support family background, several challenges continue to hinder students’ academic achievement. Experience has shown that among school students in Buea, we see some students face the problem of limited access to educational resources. Students are being sent away from school for nonpayment of school fees, problems with school uniform, lack of textbooks or even exercise books. While some students come to school properly fed, others are not properly fed and are seen hungry. There is also the problem of poor learning environments of some students in Buea.

These challenges, if left unaddressed, could lead to an increase in school dropout of students around the Buea municipality, since students are not motivated education wise. It could equally bring about an increase in juvenile delinquencies such as drug abuse, fighting, and even gambling among students, since they face difficulties in their studies. Female students may in turn get unwanted pregnancies. All of these therefore, will lead to a drop in students’ academic achievement. One then sees that family background has influences on the academic achievement of students in the Buea municipality.

It is against these backdrops that the researcher decided to carry out this study, to investigate the impacts of family background on students’ academic achievement in the Buea municipality.

Objectives of the Study.

Main Objective.

The main objective of the study is to investigate the influence of family background on secondary school student’s academic achievement in the Buea Municipality.

Specific Objectives.

• 1. To examine the influence of parental level of education on secondary school student academic achievement in the Buea Municipality.
• 2. To examine the influence of parenting style on secondary school student’s Academic Achievement in the Buea Municipality.
• 3. To examine the influence of family size on secondary school student’s Academic Achievement in the Buea Municipality.
• 4. To examine the influence of nutrition on secondary school student’s Academic Achievement in the Buea Municipality.

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