Issues and Challenges that Students from Single-Parent Households Face in Their Academic Performance at Senior Secondary Level

Abstract

An increase in single-parent households is noticeable in modern society and the academic performance of the senior school students living in single-parent households is affected negatively at large. Therefore, this study aims to discover the issues and challenges that single-parented students face in their academic performance at the senior secondary level. This study involved a hundred senior secondary students (Grades 10 & 11) from single-parent households, fifty of their parents, and fifty class teachers from the Moratuwa Educational Division. The sampling method was stratified random sampling and the strata are three school types. Primary data was acquired through three structured questionnaires and the secondary data was collected through test scores and school-based assessments. Only descriptive statistics were used to derive the inferences. The analysis found that the students from single-parent households experience low parental involvement in their academic activities for many reasons, confirming that 24% of single parents rarely attended parent-teacher meetings, and 38% never attended. The three main causes are stressful responsibilities (92%), lack of finance (88%) and no external help at home (82%). About 70% of students have expressed their dislikein attending school as well as engaging in academic work. Furthermore, 88% of the students have claimed that they have lost confidence in their single parents as well as their class teachers. 76% and 68% of grades ten and eleven students have obtained the class positions between (31-50) while only 4% and 2% of grade ten and eleven respectively have acquired the class positions between (1-10). It was revealed that psychological, social and economic aspects contribute to the achievement levels of the students. This study recommends that ground-level stakeholders in school management pay more attention to and help single parents and their children cope with their situations and enhance their academic performance.