Influence of Parental Factors on the Academic Performance of Office Technology and Management Students

Abstract

This study examined the influence of parental factors on the academic performance of office technology and management students. Hence, the study adopted descriptive survey research design. The population of the study comprised 150 students at ND1 levels in office technology and management. The population of 150 students formed the sample for the study as the researchers considered the population to be sizeable and
manageable. A Structured questionnaire based on modified four point Likert rating scale of Strongly Agreed (4), Agreed (3), Disagreed (2) and Strongly Disagreed (1) was the instrument used for data collection. The instrument was validated by three experts in the Department of Office Technology and Management, The Federal Polytechnic, Bida. The researchers administered 150 copies of the questionnaire to the respondents and retrieved only 123 copies representing 82% return rate. Mean and Standard Deviation were the statistical tools used to answer and analyze the data collected from the respondents. Based on the data analysis, findings revealed among others that; that parental level of education (Mean = 3.1 & SD = 0.97), parental occupation (Mean = 3.00 & SD = 1.05), positively influence academic performance of office technology and management students to a moderate extent in polytechnics in Niger state. It was concluded that parents level of education, parents’ occupation had influence on academic performance of office technology and management students in polytechnics in Niger state. Researcher recommended among others that parents with low education level should provide a conducive environment that would bridge the gap between their children and those from high educational level. Resources such as equipped libraries, functional internet facilities that facilitate students’ academic performance should be made readily available by the respective institutions at all times in order to make up for any form of differences that may exist between students whose parents can easily afford learning facilities and those who cannot.