WELCOME TO KENTERPRO:
INVESTIGATING THE EFFECTS OF PARENTAL DIVORCE ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF CHILDREN IN PANKSHIN LGA

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Education is the best legacy a nation can give to her citizens. This is because the development of any nation depends on the educational attainment of her citizenry and the quality of education of such a nation. Education does not only provide knowledge and skills but also inculcates values to pupils. It is universally accepted that education enables individuals to contribute to the development and improvement in the quality of life for themselves, their communities and the nation as a whole. Education is the most important component of human resource development and it accords pride to a nation. There is no doubt that the importance of education cannot be underscored because there is no industry that has succeeded without developing its human resources. Education according to Osokoya, (2009) helps to improve security, health, prosperity, and ecological balance in the world. It encourages social, economic, cultural progress, tolerance, national and international cooperation. According to Ugwuanyi (2003) education is the process by which society establishes to assist the young to learn and understand the heritage of the past, participate productively in the society and contribute meaningfully for the development of the society. Emeka (2009) sees education as a process by which any society through schools, colleges, universities and other institutions deliberately transmit knowledge, values and skills from one person to another. Pupil leaving in divorce home hardly get the required attention needed by the pupil to get to the pit of the required education attainment.

Looking at the concept divorce, it is a legal separation of union of parents legally main to be together as husband and wife. Basically, divorce is a legal termination of valid marriage. Divorce according to Omeje (2010) is the dissolution of a marital union that cancelled all legal obligations and responsibilities of marriages as well as dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties. He added that divorce is one aspect of marital disorganization which could, among other things frustrate the destiny of the pupil of such marriage. Some of the pupil who were involved feel deeply depressed. Wallerstein (2015) defined divorce as a family breakup that characterized with numerous problems that lead to unsuccessful marriage. The case of divorce is disheartening. It has made many marriages to lose its celebrity and splendors. Patterson (2018) stated that there can never be a single cause for any divorce rather there are several more than one reasons for divorce to take place. These include lack of communication, immaturity, infidelity/cheating, failed expectations, drug and alcohol abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, cultural and religious differences. Ugwu (2007) was of the opinion that some marriages collapse due to unfaithfulness, sex explosion, suspicion and lack of trust

Looking at the causes of divorce, the most common influences of pupil in divorce homes are related to changes in behavior, such as aggression, poor academic performance, limited interpersonal relation-ships, anger towards their parents, insecurity, and fear of abandonment by one or both parents and feelings of guilt (Hetherington, 2012). Pupil who have experienced a divorce frequently have lower academic performance than pupil from non-divorced families (Wolchick, 2002). In a review done on family and school factors related to adolescents’ academic performance, it noted that it is two times more likely for a child from a divorced family to drop out of high school than a child from a non-divorced family. These pupil from divorced families may also be less likely to attend college, resulting in the discontinuation of their academic career (Rodgers & Diyound, 2011).

In the case of Pankshin Local Government Area, the school system is confronted with large numbers of families coping with transitions created by divorce. As many families on daily basis have marital problems leading divorce. Pupils in Pankshin suffered more negative influences of divorce than the death of a parent, especially among single-mother families, this due to the tradition that pupil from female folk are regarded as non-future achievement. On the opinion of teachers in this regards, they rate pupil from divorced families higher on factors such as heightened anxiety surrounding academic failure, the inability to reflect, irrelevant talk, and inattention.

Academic performance is the extent to which pupils make success in academic work. Globe and Bishop (2011) perceived academic performance as something one does or achieves at school, college or university, in class, in a laboratory, library or field of work. Idundun (2012) stated that academic performance is the overall academic performance of a pupil in the school. It is assessed by the used of teacher’s rating, tests and examination. From this assertion, academic performance has to do with some measure of success one is able to attain after learning experience. As such, Smith (2011) lamented that pupil of divorced parents are prone to academic problems like drooping out of school along with psychological, emotional, socio-cultural and economic problems when compared to the pupil whose parents remain married and live together. To some extent, there is simple evidence to show the marital instability brings about stress, tension, lack of motivation and frustration obviously, these manifestations act negatively on a child’s academic performance. 

Life, in a divorce home can be stressful for both the child and the parent. Such family is faced with challenges of inadequate financial resources, emotional instability, insecurity, among others (pupil defense 2014). Schults (2016) noted that if pupils from unstable homes are to be compared with those from stable homes, it would be seen that the former have more social, academic and emotional problems. Pupil family and its structure play a great role in their academic performance. Based on the aforementioned influences the researcher deemed it necessary to assess the influence of parental divorce on the academic performance of primary school pupils in Pankshin Local Government Area of Plateau State.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

There is a global influence of divorce on pupils’ academic performance. In Nigeria, most home are not intact as a result of divorce. The teachers commonly describe pupil from divorce parent as more hostile, aggressive, anxious, fearful, hyperactive and distractive than pupil from intact family. Experience has revealed that pupil noticed with poor academic performance when traced, revealed that 76% are from divorce family (Gin 2018). Looking at the rate of pupil’s dropout, poor academic performance, indiscipline, truancy among others are worrisome to the researcher, having understand that pupil from divorce homes are more likely to exhibit signs of early disengagement from school, and also associated with it, is the truancy and more negative attitudes towards school. Pupil from divorce homes report lower educational performance, as a result of less monitoring of school work by both parents.

Teachers, parents and the general public are concerned and worried about the poor academic performance of pupils. Apart from poor academic performance most of these pupil from divorced homes show symptoms of maladjustment like withdrawal, absence from school, depression, fighting, inattentive, unhappiness, and lack of concentration in their studies. Divorce can also change pupil’s perception of school, alter pupil’s motivation, attitude and hinders pupil’s success in school. This study become a child of necessity in order assess the influence of divorce on academic performance of pupils in Pankshin Local Government Area of Plateau State.

 1.3 Purpose of the Study

            The main purpose of the study is to assess the influence of parental divorce on the academic performance of primary school pupils in Pankshin Local Government Area. Specifically, the objectives of this study are to:

1. Assess the factors that lead to decreased on the academic performance of pupils from divorce families
2. Find out the influence of divorce on academic performance of pupils in Pankshin Local Government Area
3. Ascertain the extent to which socio-economic status of parents influence the academic performance of primary schools pupils in Pankshin Local Government Area
4. Find out if pupils are adequately motivated by their parents.

1.4 Research Questions

The following research questions guided the study

1. What are the factors that lead to decreased on the academic performance of pupils from divorce families in Pankshin Local Government Area?
2. What are the influence of divorce on academic performance of pupils in Pankshin Local Government Area?
3. To what extent socio-economic status of divorce parents influence the academic performance of primary schools pupils in Pankshin Local Government Area?
4. Are pupils adequately motivated by their divorce parents in Pankshin Local government Area?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

1. There is no significant relationship between factors that lead to divorce and academic performance of pupils from divorce families in Pankshin Local Government Area
2. The socio-economic status of divorce parents is not a significantly basis for academic performance of primary schools’ pupils in Pankshin Local Government Area.
3. Divorced parents do not adequately motivate their pupil in Pankshin Local Government Area.

1.6 Significance of the Study

The benefit that shall accrue from this study will be practically, the study will be of immense benefit to teachers, school counselors, pupils, parents, sociologist, and future researchers.

This study will be of immense benefit to teachers since it aims at exposing the influence of divorce on pupils’ academic performance, as this will enable the teachers to design a curriculum on how to handle pupils from divorce homes appropriately, so that they can cope effectively with their academic work.

School counselors will benefit from this study in that, it will reveal to them the actual influence of divorce on pupils learning abilities thereby enabling them to design programs on how to help these pupils cope with the school programs despite their background.

This study will also be of immense benefit to pupils since they are the main focus of this study. They will find this work worthy of note, this is because when issues of divorce is properly addressed, its influences on pupil known, strategies of helping pupils who are victims of divorce will be implemented.

The pupils will then experience some sort of relief from psychological trauma associated with divorce, thereby enabling them to cope with the normal school activities and consequently, improve their academic performance in school. They will also understand that positive attitude towards their parents, teachers and other pupils could enhance their school performances.

Parents will benefit from this study because it will expose them to the influences of divorce on their pupil’s social, emotional and even academic development. The study will enable parents gain insight and understanding, that providing stable family environment and attending to pupil with a positive attitude is a yard-stick to their academic performance.

To the sociologist the study will help to create discipline in the life of pupil from divorced homes. When this is done there will be sanity, peace and order, which will enhance the moral tone of the school as well as the society. It will also help the sociologist to know the right technique to adopt in modifying negative peer pressure.

Lastly, the findings of this study will sharpen the focus of other researchers who may be interested in the study of divorce and influence on the academic performance of pupils. This study will serve as a source of literature to researchers.

1.7 Scope and Delimitation of the Study

This work is concerned with the study of influence of parental divorce on the academic performance of primary school pupils in Pankshin Local Government Area of Plateau State. The research use mainly teachers, and principals who are in clear pictures of influence of parental divorce on the academic performance of primary school pupils.

1.8 Operational Definition of Terms

Parental Divorce: this dealt with parental being separated as a result of legal dissolution of marital oath

Divorce: This is an illegal dissolution of marriage.

Academic performance: Here it refers to how well or how poorly a child can perform in school.

Marriage: This is place where people live together as a family.

Primary schools: This are Learning institutions learners attend after primary schools

Pupils: These are learners who are undergo training under the care of a teacher and are willing to learn