The effects of family background on pupils' academic achievement in Mozambique

Abstract

This paper analyses the effects of family background on the academic achievement of secondary school pupils in Mozambique and uses measures of family background that are broader than some previous studies. Data on family background and academic achievement were collected from 829 Grade 6–11 pupils in six secondary schools in 1986. The findings suggest that class-based subcultures were becoming established in Mozambique and that family lifestyles, especially the use of Portuguese in the home, had a significant influence on academic achievement, though failure rates were also unusually high among elite children. Though the Mozambican school system has changed since 1986, these data provide a basis for further study.