Full Length Research Paper

Parental involvement as a correlate of pupils’ achievement in mathematics and science in Ogun State, Nigeria

Olatoye, R. Ademola* and Agbatogun, A. Olajumoke

Institute of Education, Faculty of Education, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State. Nigeria.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: kingdemola@yahoo.com, agbatogunjumoke@yahoo.com.

Accepted 10 September, 2009

Abstract

This study investigated the achievement of pupils in the public and private primary schools in mathematics and science. The descriptive survey research design was employed to carry out this study. Four hundred and eighty (480) pupils from thirty primary schools in Ogun State, Nigeria were randomly selected for this study. From the results of this study, parental involvement accounts for 16.1% of the total variance in mathematics achievement of primary school pupils (R² = 0.161, p < 0.05) and 13.5% of the total variance in pupils’ achievement in science (R² = .057, p < 0.05) .These percentages are significant at 0.05 level of confidence. It shows that parental involvement is an important predictor of mathematics and science achievement. There exists a significant difference in the parental involvement of public and private primary school pupils (t = -9.68, p < 0.05). Private school pupils enjoy more parental involvement than their counterparts in the public schools. Teachers and Counsellors need to enlighten parents on the need to personally get involved in the academic activities of their children.

Key words: Parental involvement, science, achievement, mathematics achievement, teacher, pupils.