THE EFFECT OF BROKEN HOMES ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS IN OKE ILA ORANGUN COMMUNITY, IFEDAYO L.G.A OSUN STATE

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1. 1. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

A home is defined as the house, flat or apartment that an individual lives in with his/her family[1]. Family is defined as any two people who are related to each other. This includes genetic connection, adoption, marriage or by mutual agreement. The nuclear family comprised of married couple with their biological or adopted child/children living together in one household. This type of nuclear family is referred to by social scientists as an “intact family (home)”, signifying that the family has been through a divorce or separation by death of a member[2]. Broken homes are defined as one in which one of the partners looses his/her spouse by death separation, divorce, desertion or single parenting[3]. Deborah[4] sees broken homes as a situation where two spouses separate leaving the children to the hazard of the society. Broken home is a home torn apart[5]. Broken homes occur when husband and wife separate from each other through either natural causes (death) or by human cause (divorce), leaving the care and responsibility of the children to one parent. Divorce could be temporal or permanent. It is temporal when there is still hope of coming together after the relevant laws must have been put in place. This is to ensure that issues that created the temporal separation are settled. But if the divorce is permanent, it means there is no hope of coming together. Divorce has to do with either one of the partners quitting or saying “bye bye” to his/her spouse as a result of infidelity, pride, superstition, religion, disagreement, in-laws interferences, alcoholism, and disrespect for one another or bulling (violence). According to Johnson [6], twenty-nine percent (29%) of women who had ever been married or had lived with a man in common law relationship, had experienced at least one episode of violence/bulling by a husband; such relationship are more likely to end in disaster, rather than peaceful atmosphere [7]. Death is natural cause of why homes tear apart. It is unpredicted phenomenon that has gone beyond any body’s control. Single parent families are result of divorce [8]. Unfortunately, the growth in the number of children born into broken homes is increasing by the day especially in Nigeria[9]. Over the years, the investigation of the factor that influence academic performance of student have attracted the interest and concern of teachers, counselors, psychologists, researcher and school administration in Nigeria [10]. This is because of the public outcries concerning the low standard of education in the country and unbaked graduates being produced from our universities[11]. Poor family structure (broken home) due to either natural cause or divorce is one of the factors responsible for the poor academic performance of student in secondary schools[12]. Students from broken homes in the cities are affected by change of school due to inadequate financial resources or poverty, poor study habit and low self concept. Parents from broken homes are usually found in low status jobs because they enter work place early with few skills and little or no experience. They begin parenting in poverty and likely to remain in poverty which has an impact on academic performance of their children[13]. Fatherlessness constrains students to poverty; students whose homes are headed by father are six times better than students whose homes are without parental care[14]. Students from broken homes in remote villages have nothing to challenge them. The existence of extended family will not allow them to feel the impact of poverty as those in the cities. They have much to occupy them like farming and petty trading and so on. The environment (location) in which the students come from can greatly influence his/her performance at school[15]. The family is supposed to be the fundamental segment of a lasting society and civilization. Families that fall apart decline into social, cultural and education problems. Thus, if any country is to advance educationally, culturally and socially, effort should be made to keep families intact so as to create room for healthy growth of children educationally, physically and mentally. Therefore the study examines the effect of broken homes on academic performance of students in Oke Ila Orangun Community, Ifedayo L.G.A Osun State.

1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

There is a global awareness of the Importance of the home environment on students’ academic performance. In Nigeria, most home are not intact as a result of issues of incompatibility of the couples, death of a parent and the quest for the oversea trips to make more money, and at times marital infidelity. This has resulted in the separation of couples and children.In some states in the federation, this is quite clear, in that most young ladies abandon their homes, and embark on oversea trips with a view to making money. Some men, who travel abroad, abandon their homes and would not communicate with the families back-home so children from such homes are in dilemma, especially in terms of adjustment. The environment in which the students come from can greatly influence his performance in school. The effects of broken homes may impact greatly on the internal organization of the family and by extension; effect a child’s emotion, personality and academic achievement. Bearing in mind the role of the family in a child’s education, the failure of the family to perform its duties could hinder the child’s academic achievement. Any nation that is desirous of advancing technologically will no doubt ensure that the future of her future leaders (the adolescents) is well guided, protected and guaranteed. Finally, a single parent faces doubled responsibilities requiring time, attention and money of the parent. Hence, less attention is paid to the education of the child. The teachers commonly describe children from single parent as more hostile, aggressive, anxious, fearful, hyperactive and distractive than children from intact family. Thus, this study is set out to find out the effect of broken homes on academic performance of students in Oke Ila Orangun Community, Ifedayo L.G.A Osun State.

1.3 AIMS OF THE STUDY

The major aim of the study is to examine the effect of broken homes on academic performance of students in Oke Ila Orangun Community, Ifedayo L.G.A Osun State. Other specific objectives of the study include;

1. To examine the concept and causes of broken homes in Oke Ila Orangun Community, Ifedayo L.G.A Osun State.
2. To examine the teachers’ perceptions on the effects of broken marriage to students’ academic performance.
3. To examine the effect of broken homes on academic performance of students in Oke Ila Orangun Community, Ifedayo L.G.A Osun State.
4. To examine the ways of minimizing broken homes in Oke Ila Orangun Community, Ifedayo L.G.A Osun State.
5. To examine the relationship between the broken homes and academic performance of the students.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. What is the concept and causes of broken homes in Oke Ila Orangun Community, Ifedayo L.G.A Osun State?
2. What are the teachers’ perceptions on the effects of broken marriage to students’ academic performance?
3. What is the effect of broken homes on academic performance of students in Oke Ila Orangun Community, Ifedayo L.G.A Osun State?
4. What are the ways of minimizing broken homes in Oke Ila Orangun Community, Ifedayo L.G.A Osun State?
5. What is the relationship between the broken homes and academic performance of the students?

1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

Hypothesis 1

H0: There are is no significant effect of broken homes on academic performance of students in Oke Ila Orangun Community, Ifedayo L.G.A Osun State.

H1: There is a significant effect of broken homes on academic performance of students in Oke Ila Orangun Community, Ifedayo L.G.A Osun State.

Hypothesis 2

H0: There is no significant relationship between the broken homes and academic performance of the students.

H1: There is a significant relationship between the broken homes and academic performance of the students.

1.6SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study will be of profound benefits to enlighten the family all over the world which is known to be a core unit of the larger society on the effect of broken homes on the school learning. This study would also be of immense benefit to students and scholars who are interested in developing further studies on the subject matter.

1.7 SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The study is restricted to the effect of broken homes on academic performance of students in Oke Ila Orangun Community, Ifedayo L.G.A Osun State.

LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

Financial constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview)

Time constraint: The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.

1.8OPERATIONALDEFINITION OF TERMS

Academic performance: the pupils? academic scores obtained in English Language and Mathematics tests.

Broken home: refers to a home that is characterized with a single parent as a result of: Death, Separation or Divorce

Parental Death: refers to parents of the children that are not alive

Parental Separation: refers to parents of the children that are living apart whether as a result of nature of their job or others reasons

Divorce: refers to end of legal union between husband and wife