Parental influence on academic performance of Home Economics students' in senior secondary students in Calabar Metropolis of Cross River State, Nigeria

This study examines Parental Influence on Academic Performance of Home Economics Students' in Senior Secondary Students in Calabar Metropolis of Cross River State – Nigeria. The study seeks among others to investigate the influence of parents’ socio-economic status on children’s academic performance, to determine whether parents’ educational status can influence students’ academic performance and to investigate whether parents’ occupational status can influence students’ academic performance in the research area. Literature review was carried out to explore other authors’ views on the topic. The study adopted a correlational research design and a total number of 1,840 students’ participated in the study. Simple random sampling techniques was used and a well-structured five points Likert scale questionnaire and Home Economics Achievement Test (HEAT) were the main instruments used for data collection. The data collected were analyzed using simple percentages merged with Mean and Standard deviation descriptive statistical tools. The result of the study revealed that low income of parent's is a major impediment to academic success and development in Home Economics on the part of the students. Additionally, students’ academic performance in Home Economics is predicted by a chain of socio-economic factors resident in parent's and family network. The study recommended inter alia that; on the account of families of low socio-economic status who cannot afford to train their children properly in school, the government should increase the allocation of funds to provide for more amenities to facilitate learning in the school so that these poor student's will not lack basic amenities in the school.