Influence of socio-economic status on parents’ Involvement in pupils’ school homework in primary Schools in Kamenu Zone,Kiambu County,Kenya

Abstract

Parental involvement has long been believed to be associated with a range of enhanced school outcomes for elementary, middle and high school students, including varied indicators of achievement and the development of student attributes that support achievement, such as self- efficacy for learning, perceptions of personal control over school outcomes, and self-regulatory skills and knowledge. The purpose of the study was to study the influence of parents’ socio- economic status on parental involvement in their children’s school home work in primary schools in Kamenu Zone, Kiambu County. The study adopted descriptive survey design. The study was done in Kamenu Zone, Kiambu County. The target population in this study was lower primary school parents of 7 public primary schools in Kamenu Zone Thika West district, Kiambu County. A descriptive survey design was employed where data was obtained from seven public primary schools. The researcher used purposive and simple random sampling methods to select a sample of 251 respondents. The study used questionnaires and interview schedule to collect data. Data was analysed with the help of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The study revealed that most of the parents had either primary level certificate or secondary level certificate an indication that most of the parents had low level of education which could negatively influence their involvement in children’s school homework. The study also found that; educated parents helped pupils complete school homework. On levels of income of parents, this study found that, most parents’ income is low. This influenced negatively their involvement in their children’s school homework completion. Concerning parent’s occupation, majority of the parents were farmers, businessmen, teachers, nurses and traders thus influenced involvement in their children’s school homework. The study concludes that despite being tied up in their job stations, most parents are able to help their children in school work, some parents are very busy with their jobs hence have not been supportive to their children’s homework completion and that parent occupation affected their involvement in their pupils school homework completion.