Influence of Family Structure on Learning Outcomes Among Public Junior Secondary School Students in Port Harcourt Metropolis

Abstract

This study examined the influence of family structure on learning outcomes among Public Junior Secondary School Students in Port Harcourt Metropolis. Three research questions and Three null hypotheses guided the study. The study adopted the analytic descriptive survey research design. The population of the study was 2,436 male and female teachers from 64 public junior secondary schools in Port Harcourt City and Obi/Akpor Local Government Areas of Rivers State. The sample for this study comprised 336 teachers drawn from 20 public junior secondary schools in Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor Local Government Areas of Rivers State. The sample size of 336 was determined using the Krejcie and Morgan table for sample size determination. The study used a self-designed questionnaire for data collection. The instrument was subjected to face and content validity by the three experts, one in Measurement and Evaluation and two others in the Department of Educational Psychology, guidance and counseling in Rivers State University. A test of internal consistency was carried out using the Chronbach Alpha method to determine the reliability of the instrument. Reliability coefficients of 0.86, 0.88 and 0.95 were obtained for the three sections of the instrument, respectively. From the analyzed quantitative data, the findings of the study, among others revealed that nuclear family structure strongly shapes learning outcomes among public junior secondary school students in Port Harcourt Metropolis. The corresponding hypothesis indicated that male and female teachers hold a similar view that there is no significant difference in their mean ratings on how nuclear family structure influences learning outcomes among public junior secondary school students in Port Harcourt Metropolis Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended among other things that School administrators and teachers should strengthen school–home collaboration by encouraging active parental involvement across all family structures. This can be achieved through regular parent–teacher meetings, communication platforms, and sensitization programmes that guide parents on supporting their children’s learning at home

Keywords

References