Impact of Family Background on Student’s Academic Performance in Public Secondary Schools in Mathira West District, Nyeri County.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of family background on student’s academic performance in public secondary schools. The research carried out in this work has indicated that for higher academic performance, the student foundation that is the family background is a key determinant. Various factors such as family type, size, social economic status and educational background of the parents adversely affects the student’s academic performance. The research has shown that children from poor backgrounds may have access to education or not. Their parents are reluctant to take them to school due to various challenges. Those who take theirs face many challenges. Many drop outs are students from poor backgrounds. Also students from poor background do not perform well as most of the time they are out of school due to lack of school fees and other basic needs. From the research, it is quite evident that educational provision is closely linked with children’s background which is determined by the recipient’s class, power and status. The research shows that children from poor families do not access complementary learning experiences that would expose them. This is due to family background which has created social class and thus social stratification. Students from well up backgrounds attend private schools that has a wide varieties of facilities. Such schools produce excellent results due to the good facilities available. The criterion for attending such schools depends on parent’s ability to pay school fees. Hence, the student will be kept in school throughout absenteeism. Family background creates social class of an individual society. People of high social economic status send their children to school earlier and have resources to spend on their children. The availability of resources may affect the academic performance of the student either positively or negatively.