Influence of parents’ educational level on pupils’ academic performance in public primary schools in Nandi South Sub-County, Kenya

Socio-economic status is a definite background variable that represents a feature of the social structure in society. Many studies on the influence of socio-economic background on the academic performance of pupils have been conducted in developed countries. This paper specifically examines the influence of parents’ educational levels on the academic performance of their children in schools. The paper is based on a study whose purpose was to determine the influence of parents’ socio-economic factors on pupil’s academic performance in public primary schools in Nandi South Sub-County. The study adopted a survey design targeting population 1821 pupils and 528 teachers from 74 public primary schools. Simple random sampling technique was used to select22 public primary schools, 158 teachers and 273 class 8 parents. The instruments used for collection included 2 sets of a questionnaire, one for teachers and another for parents. Quantitative data was coded, entered and analysed with the help of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS Version 20). Descriptive statistics percentages, frequencies, means and standard deviation together with inferential statistics; Chi-square analysis was also used. The study found out that educational level of a parent did not significantly influence the academic performance of pupils (p=.251). It was, therefore, recommended that schools should introduce parent-teacher engagement programmes to help teachers and parents share their experiences and measures through which pupils’ academic performance can be improved. This will equip parents with necessary knowledge and skills to enable them play specific and fruitful roles as parents and as first teachers for their children.