Thesis Abstract

Abstract
This study aims to investigate the influence of family size on the academic performance of secondary school students in Nigeria. The research will employ a quantitative research design to collect and analyze data from a sample of secondary school students in different regions of Nigeria. The study will focus on exploring the relationship between family size and students' academic achievement across various subjects. The findings from this research have the potential to contribute significantly to the existing literature on education in Nigeria and provide insights for policymakers, educators, and parents on the impact of family size on students' academic outcomes. By identifying the possible effects of family size on students' academic performance, this study can inform interventions and support mechanisms to improve educational outcomes for secondary school students in Nigeria. The research will utilize standardized test scores, grades, and other academic performance indicators to assess the academic achievement of students in relation to their family size. In addition, demographic information such as socio-economic status, parental education level, and family structure will be considered to provide a comprehensive analysis of the factors influencing students' academic performance. The study will also explore potential mediating factors such as parental involvement, family support, and access to educational resources that may moderate the relationship between family size and academic performance. By examining these variables, the research aims to identify specific mechanisms through which family size can impact students' academic outcomes. Overall, this research seeks to contribute to a deeper understanding of the complexities involved in the relationship between family size and students' academic performance in Nigeria. The findings of this study can inform educational policies and practices that aim to support students from diverse family backgrounds and promote academic success for all secondary school students in Nigeria.

Thesis Overview

Academic performance often determined the individual scores in relation to performance of other students’ class test or examinations. The school as a social institution is set up basically for learning to take place. But the family Size of students also play an important part in students’ learning. Thus, the study was therefore conducted on the influence of family size on the academic performance of secondary school students as perceived by teachers and parents.

The researcher employed the descriptive study method for the study. The population consisted of parents and teachers. The sample consisted of 200 parents and teachers randomly selected from Calabar and Ogoja Local Government Areas of Cross river State. Seven research hypotheses were generated to guide the study. Data were collected using a research designed instrument questionnaire tiled “Influence of Family Size on the Academic Performance of Secondary School Students Questionnaire” (IFSAPSSSQ). It consists of two sections: Section A deals with the demographic data while Section B contains item on the influence of family size on the academic performance of secondary school students. Content validity of the instrument was established by administering it twice after an interval of three weeks to 20 married adults who were not part of the sample. Data analysis was done using percentage, means, t-test and Analysis of Variance, (ANOVA). All hypotheses were tested at 0.05 alpha level.

The findings; it is revealed that there was no significant difference in the parents and teachers based on age, status and family type while significant difference is found on the basis of gender, highest educational qualification, number of children and religion. This signifies that three of the hypotheses were accepted while four were rejected.

Based on the findings, it is recommended that government should increase allocation of funds to provide for more amenities to facilitate learning in the schools; parents should be sensitized on the need to make education of their children and wards a priority in the face of the present economic predicament by adequately providing for their school materials and local and international Non-Government organizations (NGOs) and other stakeholders in education should be sensitized to weld support for the funding of secondary school projects in Nigeria.