BIRTH ORDER AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN SOCIAL STUDIES AMONG PRIMARY SCHOOL PUPILS

BIRTH ORDER AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN SOCIAL STUDIES AMONG PRIMARY SCHOOL PUPILS

  

Abstract

This study was carried out on birth order and academic performance of pupils in social studies in Obot Akara Local Government Area. The population of the study consisted of 3830 pupils. 200 pupils w\ere randomly selected for the study. Three research questions were raised to guide the study and three hypotheses were also used for the study. The instrument used for data collected were analyzed using an independent t-test formula. A survey design was used for the study. The findings reveal that there is a significance between birth order and pupils academic performance. The study recommended that parent should always have the number of children that the can sponsors in school and cater for. The study concludes that birth order is very significant to the academic performance of pupils.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1       Background to the study

Much money has been invested in education in Nigeria with strong belief changes and development. Education has been identified as the bedrock of knowledge and value structure in Nigeria. As Nigeria entered the 21^st century, considerable attention is being paid to education as a key to sustainable development, peace, and stability. Such recognition makes education indispensable means for effective participation not only in the socio-economic development of Nigeria but also in the rapid globalization (Akpan 2001). (Adams 2000) stated that it is within the family that the child acquired and organizes his first experience and the move to the school for his secondary experience. One question often addressed focuses on children’s academic success. The effectiveness of the school and the family in assisting intellectual development of the child. Oscar (2000) asserted that family size refers to the total number of children in the child’s family in addition to the child himself, while the birth order refers to the child’s position in the birth order.

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However, the family types that a child comes from either monogamous or polygamous family usually has an impact on the child’s academic performance. It is important to note that either of the family type monogamous and family dictates is peculiar to Africa in general and in Nigeria in particular. According to Uba (1998), first birth or the oldest child is usually advantages by a good deal of attention and warmth during the early stage of life.

Every family is composed of individuals of different ages and each member will have an interest related to his own development level. If the family cannot cater to the developmental interest, then academic progress will be a burden for the parents to handle. Parents who have few children can cater to the development needs of the children and can be sure of steady academic progress. According to Amos (2008), modern families do not clamor for more children so that the children can be conveniently catered for parental care should not be overlooked, from infancy, a good parent is very much concerned with the upbringing of the child. As the child enters school, parental love and care would continue provided that the economy of the family remains stable. It can be seen that birth order is one of the real causes of pupils academic performance going down in secondary schools.

Pupils who are few in the family perform better than those who are many? (Halton 2007) was one of the first scientists of venture into the field of birth order. While his primary motivation for doing so was to perfect the human race by eradicating those he considered a desirable, he did, in fact, uncover statistical information through his creation of research involving birth order among scientists. Scientists, who now accept the birth order effects, have devised several theories to explain birth order’s impact on the family. Zasonc (2009), states that there are three key factors in birth order effects: parents with few children have more time and attention for those children, first-born children are exposed to more mature language, thus enabling them to be more successful academically, and the family’s intellectual environment becomes less mature and intelligent with each new addition to the family. Upon this background this the research project seeks to examine the influence of  birth order and academic performance of pupils in social studies.

1.2       Statement of the problem 

Poor academic performance of pupils in recent times has been a worrisome, poor academic performance is a multi-faceted problem caused by many and varied factors some see this poor performance by pupils as a reflection of perceived falling standard of education in our society brought about by birth order. Some believed that the child position in the birth order determine their academic performance in school it usually, arise in an effort to cater to the developmental need of the children, including education. Parents who do not plan the birth order of their families do, themselves more harm than good therefore it is imperative that this the research examines birth order and academic performance of pupils in social studies.

1.3       Purpose of the study

The purpose of the study was to examine birth order and pupil academic performance in social studies. Specifically, the study sought to: 

(i)         Examine the influence of first birth order on academic performance of pupils in social studies.     

(ii)        Determine the influence of last birth order on academic performance of pupils in social studies.

(iii)       Examine the influence of middle birth order on academic performance of pupils in social studies.

1.4       Significance of the study

This study intends to be of great  benefits to many people who will come across it with reference to parents teacher, pupils, educational planners  and the general public. The study will make parents be aware of the influence of their home background on their children negatively or positively in relation to their academic achievement.

-           The study would also suggest to parents to make good use of the home to make their wards comfortable in school by providing them with all necessary school materials

-           To the educational planners, the study would enlighten them on the importance of planning the school curriculum with the flexibility to suit different cultural environments and the importance of providing quality teachers and adequate classroom factors.

                        The information here will be important to the government to provide essential needs to the good pupils or even awarding them a scholarship.

1.5       Research Questions

The following research questions were formulated to guide the study

(i)         How does first birth influence academic performance of pupils.

(ii)        To what extent does last birth order influence the academic performance of pupils.

(iii)       How does middle birth order influence academic performance of pupils.

1.6       Research Hypotheses

For the purpose of this study the following hypotheses was formulated.

(i)         There is no significant relationship between first birth order and academic performance of pupils in social studies.   

(ii)        There is no significant relationship between last birth order and academic performance of pupils in social studies.

(iii)       There is no significant relationship between middle birth order and academic performance of pupils in social studies.

1.7       Limitation of the study

This study is mainly to assess the birth order and academic performance of pupils in social studies. During the research exercise, the researcher met with certain problems that rendered to militate against the successful completion of the work, among which were;

-      Financial constraint: This arose due to the high cost of transportation. As a result of this, the researcher has not enough money to enable him essential for this rudiment.

-      The time within which the research study is to be completed.

1.8       Delimitation                          

This study delimited to birth order and academic performance of pupils in Obot Akara Local Government Area. An only public primary school shall be selected for study in Obot Akara Local Government Area.

1.9       Definition of terms   

            Birth order: Refers to the child position in the family.

Academic performance: This is defined as the level of achievement in social studies whether good or bad.