Impact of parental influence on learner achievement in pre-schooling in Maragua constituency, Kenya

Abstract

It is widely recognised that if pupils are to maximise their potential from schooling they will need the full support of their parents. Attempts to enhance parental involvement in education occupy governments, administrators, educators and parents’ organisations across the globe. Research evidence documents that parents and other caregivers are not stimulating and caring for their young children as they used to do in traditional societies. The decline in quality parental care may be one of the factors contributing to inconsistent learner enrolment, retention and graduating statistics as well as growing concerns about the healthy psychosocial development of children. It is on the basis of this that this study was initiated in order to investigate the impact of parental influence on learner achievement in pre-schooling level in Maragua constituency (Murang’a County). The study was guided with specific objectives which sought to: determine how parental support impacts on learners achievement in preschooling in Maragua Constituency, establish the impact of family learning on learners achievement in pre-schooling in Maragua Contituency, to assess the impact of parents’ level of education on learner’s achievement at pre-schools in Maragua Contituency and finally, to find out how parents’ social and economic status impact on leaner’s achievement at preschool level in Maragua Constituency. Cross-sectional descriptive survey design was adopted as a blue print to guide the study. The study targeted parents, care givers, pre-school teachers, community health staff and government (Ministry of Education and Early Childhood Education) officials in Maragua constituency. The sample size of the study was 100 respondents drawn from Maragua constituency. The primary research instruments used in the study included a questionnaires and a structured interview guide. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics in the form of frequencies and percentage tables with the aid of SPSS (Statistical Packages for Social Scientists). Qualitative data was transcribed, organized into various emerging themes and reported narratively. The study found that; Majority of parents 11(64.7%) and care –givers 30(57.7%) do not pay school fees for their children, majority of parents 12(66.7%) participated passively in facilitating the completion of their children’s homework, majority of parents 38(55.1%) measure the level of achievement of their children while in pre-schools using school progress report, majority of parents 32(46.4%) quoted poverty as their major setback in their endeavor to support the education of their children. On economic status of parents and care givers, findings of the study clearly reveal that majority of parents 10(58.8%) and care givers 35(67.3%) were low income earners. The study concluded that; majority of parents and care –givers do not adequately pay school fees for their children, majority of parents participated passively in facilitating the completion of their children’s homework, majority of parents and care givers were low income earners. The study made the following recommendations: Parents and care– givers should step up their material and financial support to their children in pre-schools, Parents and care givers should upgrade the family learning environment by actively participating in assisting their children complete their homework, Parents and caregivers should sustain their supervisory role of frequently assessing the progress of their children through school progress report, Parents and care-givers should look for sound and sustainable ways of obtaining their income so as to enable them be in a position of providing the much needed school support to their children.