Students’ Background Variables and Academic Performance of Senior Secondary School Physics Student in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State

Abstract

The study examined students’ background variables and academic performance of Physics student amongst public secondary schools in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. The independent variables reviewed were; parental income, family size, parental education background while dependent variable is students’ academic performance in Physics. To achieve the purpose of the study, three research questions and three research hypotheses were posed and formulated respectively to guide the study. The research design was adopted for this study was survey research design. Two hundred (200) SS2 students who offered Physics in public secondary schools were randomly selected for this study. The instrument used for data collection was a 18-item questionnaire named: students’ background and academic performance of Physics students Questionnaire (SBVQ) and Physics Achievement test(BAT) constructed by the researcher. Independent ttest and Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient statistic were used as statistical tool for data analysis. Each of the hypotheses was tested at .05 level of significance. The findings of the study revealed that there was significant influence of parental income, family size on the academic performance of SS 11 students in Physics and there was a significant relationship between parental education background and the academic performance of SS 11 students in Physics in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended among others that Parents of low socioeconomic status should be empowered by government to enable them provide for basic needs for their children. Thus, enhances their academic performance in Physics. Suggestion for further research was also made.