An Empirical Investigation of the Impact of Family and Parental Influence on the Academic Performance of Pupils in Nigerian Public Primary Schools

The study looked into the influence of family and parental influence on the academic performance of pupils in public primary schools in Ezinihitte Mbaise L.G.A. Imo State. Data were collected through a survey method from 307 valid respondents (parents/family). The result of the analysis shows that poor educational background and poor income of parents were the most significant factors that contributed to the poor performance of pupils in this rural community. Other factors include, among others, the death of the pupils’ parents, engaging pupils in domestic works, parental crave for livelihood and wealth as against children’s care, etc. Thus, the study concluded that family and parental influence have significant influence on the academic performance of pupils in public schools in Ezinihitte LGA. The researcher therefore, recommended among other things that the government, well-meaning individuals and organizations should support parents from disadvantaged social backgrounds, in the education of their children by providing (in addition to free, compulsory and qualitative education) bursaries, scholarships and education resources to counteract the impact of low social status of parents on the education of the children