Impact of parents' involvement on students' academic success in secondary schools in Kenya

Abstract

This study sought to establish whether there exists a relationship between parental involvement and academic performance among form three students in secondary schools in Kenya. The objectives were to find out the level of involvement of parents and the students' academic learning process and to establish the relationship between parental involvement and students' academic attainment. The study adopted a descriptive research design. The target population of the study comprised of all form three students in secondary schools in Magarini Sub- County. 5 students per school from the seventeen sampled schools were used for the study, giving a sample of 85 students. The instrument used to collect data was a questionnaire. The views of some selected teachers were also collected by means of questionnaires. Data was analyzed using quantitative statistics. The difference in the level of academic attainment between students whose parents were involved and those who were not involved was presented. All these were presented using tables and graphs with the aid of SPSS. This research sought to examme the relationship between parent's level of involvement and its impact on the performance of students in secondary schools in Kenya. Theories show that cooperation at parental level leads to high achievement in academics. The research shows minimum involvement. This also shows there is no early influence on learners towards attaining early academic success. The result is low academic performance at a higher level, in this case secondary level schooling. The study revealed that to a greater extent, parents convey attitudes about education to their children during out-of-school hours. These attitudes are reflected in the children's classroom behavior and in the teacher's relationship with the children and the parents. This shows an orientation towards better performance in that parents' attitudes comprise a key dimension of the relationship between parents schooling. The study further revealed that to a greater extent, parental involvement ensured and sustainable an intellectually stimulating environment that promotes and motivates their drive towards higher academic performance. This nurtures their talents and boosts their self-esteem. The study shows the need to emphasize the role that parents play in students' academic performance.