A comparative analysis of influence of single and coupled parents’ involvement on students’ academic performance in secondary schools in Marakwet West Subcounty, Kenya

Abstract

Parents are the primary educators of their children. Parental involvement plays a very significant role in the development of children‟s values, beliefs, interests, character and academics. The purpose of this study was to carry out a comparative analysis of the influence of single and coupled parents‟ involvement in students‟ academic performance in secondary schools in Marakwet West Sub County, Kenya. This study was guided by the following objectives: to compare parental involvement in the academics of students from coupled and single parent families, to compare academic performance of students of single and couple parents, to find out the relationship between single parent involvement and students‟ academic performance, to compare the academic performance of students of involved and uninvolved coupled parents, to compare the academic performance of students of involved and uninvolved single parents, to compare the effects of home related factors on academic performance of students from coupled and single parent families in secondary schools in Marakwet West, Sub-County. The study was anchored on Epstein‟s theory of Parental Involvement. The study adopted an ex post facto research design. The research population comprised of form three students in public secondary schools in Marakwet West, Sub County. Stratified random sampling technique was used to select the participants from boys only, girls only and co-educational schools. Purposive sampling was used to select students from single parents. Data was collected using a self- made questionnaire. Data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Means, Standard Deviation, Independent sample t-test and Pearson‟s Correlation Product Moment were used. This study revealed that there was a significant difference in parental involvement in their children‟s academics between coupled and single parents (t = -2.662, p < .05). There was a significant difference in academic performance in the children between coupled and single parents (t = -2.069, p < .05). There was also significant relationship between parental involvement and academic performance of students from single parents (r = .43, p < .05). This study further revealed that there was a significant difference in academic performance between students from involved and uninvolved single parents (t = -14.379, p < .05), and coupled parents (t = -5.008, p < .05) respectively. Finally, this study found no association between home related factors and the academic performance of students from both coupled and single parents. This study concluded that: coupled parents were more involved in their children‟s academics than single parents; parental involvement boosted academic performance of students from both single and coupled parents and home related factors had no effect on academic performance for both students from coupled and single parents. This study highlights the importance of single as well as coupled parental involvement on students‟ academic performance. The study recommended that education officials, school administrators and teachers to sensitize parents the importance of getting involved in their children‟s education matters. Special attention should be given to students of single parents.