Socio-Economic Status of Parents and Academic Performance of Pupils in Primary Schools in Mandera West District, North Eastern Province, Kenya.

ABSTRACT The study sought to answer the questions about the education levels of parents and its effect on academic performance of pupils, the relationship exhibited between economic status of parents and pupil academic performance and the type of parents’ occupation and its effect on pupils’ academic performance all in Takaba zone in Mandera West district. A sample size of 26 teachers and 207 parents were selected by simple random sampling and purposive technique. The study employed a descriptive research design which was used in order to obtain information concerning the current status of socio economic status of parents and pupils educational attainment. The distinctive nature of selected primary schools of study, prompted the researcher to employ a case study type of descriptive research involving correlation studies concerned with determining the extent to which variations in parents level of education, income and occupation were associated with variations in pupils educational attainment. The findings reveal that the higher the level of Education, and economic status of the parent, the higher is the academic performance of pupils in schools the study also found out that prestigious parents’ occupation has a positive effect on pupils’ academic performance. Less educated Parents may have inadequate skills for such activities as reading to and with their children, and having inadequate resources and limited access to available resources can negatively affect familiesT decisions regarding their young children’s development and learning. The researcher recommends that Parents should improve on their education levels through adult education programs since it may positively impact on the academic endeavors of their children. Pupils from low socioeconomic VII backgrounds should try to persevere through financial hardships and remain in school because schooling eventually has a redeeming effect on their poor plight. Teachers should help pupils who obtain low grades to develop academic curiosity in fields which are more relevant to them.