RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PARENTS’ MOTIVATION AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF THEIR CHILDREN IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between parents’ motivation and academic performance of students in secondary schools in Anambra State. One research question and one hypothesis guided the study. The research design used in this study is the correlational survey method. The target population is the 2794 teachers in the 259 public secondary schools in Anambra State. This covered all the six education zones in Anambra State which includes Awka, Aguata, Ogidi, Onitsha Nnewi and Otuocha zones. The sample size for the study is 699 teachers. A multistage sampling procedure was used in which 3 out of the six educational zones were selected through simple random sampling technique without replacement and Awka, Aguata and Ogidi Education zones were selected. Two instruments were used for data collection. The instruments were subjected to face and content validation using three experts, two from Educational Management and Policy department and one from Educational Foundations. This reliability of the instruments was determined by a means of test-retest method. The researcher and two assistants distributed the questionnaires to the respondents. Pearson Product Moment Correlation was used to analyse data. From the analysis, it was found that parents’ motivation has positive relationship with students’ academic performance in secondary schools in Anambra State. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended that parents should endeavor to do those things that positively influence the students’ academic performance such as organizing extra-moral classes at home, buying text and notebooks for students.