1.1 Introduction
The development of a female child greatly depends on the parental role of directing and supervising their activities. It is well recognized that parental involvement in a child's education significantly contributes to a variety of favorable outcomes for the child. High standards for kids, enhanced academic success, and well-behaved behavior are some examples of these results. Parents' ability to monitor their girl child after-school homework, playtime, and television watching habits are all factors that are thought to have an impact on the kids' academic pursuits after school.
According to Cho & Han (2004), the aspects of parent monitoring activities include the ability of parents to control their children's exposure to media, particularly television and computer games; to set aside time for their children to study and finish homework after school; to control their children's playtime after school; to help students choose subjects that will help them advance academically; and, finally, to keep an eye on their children's return from school.
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitation of the study and Definition of terms.
1.2 Background of Study
Parents are very influential in the lives of their children. They have the ability to shape, sustain and develop children who will be active, diligent, creative and tolerant, through their positive involvement in the learning process and educational activities. Parents are also capable of repressing and destroying the motivation and ability of their children through neglect and in difference to their achievements.
According to UNICEF (2009:12), parental involvement in their children's education is crucial for their academic success. Parents are becoming absentee parents for millions of children worldwide. A lot of people are in danger of being separated because of the effects of poverty, disabilities, and emergencies like armed conflict and natural disasters. Without parental supervision, children are more vulnerable to prejudice, subpar treatment, abuse, and exploitation, as well as insufficient monitoring of their general well-being. According to Gadsden (2003), inadequate care environments can harm children's emotional and social development and put them at risk of physical and sexual abuse as well as exploitation.
It is impossible to overstate the impact that parental care has on a child at any given time. A child's development and well-being in later life are greatly influenced by and dependent upon their home. The family is the main social unit in which a child's upbringing must start the moment of his birth, right from the cradle. V. Hugo once said that a person's values, which they have carried with them since childhood, are like letters etched in a young tree's bark that expand and grow as the tree grows, becoming an essential part of it. Thus, the most crucial aspect of upbringing and education is a good start. No one ever claimed that raising kids was simple. In addition to lacking a pause button, they come with no manuals or instructions. But they do bring with them certain basic needs, both bodily and mental, that have to be met. Parents who neglect to attend to these specific needs may specifically cause poor academic performance, which can have detrimental effects that are long-lasting and widespread.
According to Epistein (2001), parents serve as their children's first teachers at home. A child learns to speak, listen, write, and read as she grows from an infant to a toddler and finally a preschooler. These skills help the child succeed academically. Numerous studies have provided ample evidence of the impact parents have on their children's academic performance. According to Gadsden (2003), early parental involvement in a child's education has a positive impact on the child's academic performance as well as their school performance.
Children learn the fundamental skills that form the basis for subsequent learning during these formative years, which makes them crucial. Furthermore, during this period, parents' perceptions of their children's aptitudes are shaped, and children's academic self-concepts start to take shape (HFRP, 2006). In addition, the earlier parental participation that can result in good parental guidance, encouragement, communication, and community collaboration begins, the more powerful the effects on a child's holistic development (Desforges & Abouchaar, 2003).
Therefore, in Nigeria where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Influence of Parental Monitory on Girl Child and Its Impact on Academic Performance.
1.3 Statement of Problems
Investigation revealed that the impact of parental care on a child at any given time is immeasurable. A child's wellbeing and development in later life are greatly influenced by their home, which is also very germane and crucial. The family is the primary cell of society where the child's upbringing must begin from his birth, still in the cradle. A person's values from childhood are like letters engraved in the back of a young tree, which grow, enlarge with it making its integral part.
Consequently, the most crucial aspect of upbringing and education is a proper start in life. Children are not easy to rise above, no one ever said. They are definitely devoid of a pause button, as well as any guidelines or instructions. But, they do have certain essential needs, both emotional and physical, which must be satisfied. It can have far-reaching and permanent negative effects, particularly on academic performance, if the parents fail to provide for these specific needs.
1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of the study is to examine the Influence of Parental Monitory on Girl Child and Its Impact on Academic Performance. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:
- To determine the role that parents have in their female children's education in the area under of study;
- To ascertain how parents in the study area affect a female child’s education;
- To find out how parents perceive their responsibility for a girl child; and
- To investigate the connection between a girl child's academic achievement and her parents' influence.
1.5 Research Questions
The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:
- What is the role that parents have in their female children's education in the area under of study?
- How does a parent in the study area affect a female child’s education?
- How does a parent perceive their responsibility for a girl child?
- What is the connection between a girl child's academic achievement and her parents' influence?
1.6 Research Hypothesis
In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.
Hypothesis One
- H0: There are no parental perceptions on monitory a girl child in the area under study
- H1: There are parental perceptions on monitory a girl child in the area under study
Hypothesis Two
- H0: There is no relationship between parental influence on girl child education and academic performance
- H1: There is relationship between parental influence on girl child education and academic performance
1.7 Significance of Study
Parents and the Ministry of Education are expected to benefit from the study's conclusions when it is all said and done. In terms of parental monitoring of girl-child education, this study will give parents feedback that will enable them to assess their own behavior and determine whether or not they are in line with society at large.
Furthermore, the study will be very beneficial to researchers who intend to conduct similar research because it will serve as a guide. The general public, scholars, lecturers, and educators will all be greatly impacted by the study.
1.8 Scope of Study
The scope of the research is focused on the Influence of Parental Monitory on Girl Child and Its Impact on Academic Performance using Gwandu Local Government Area in Kebbi State as a case study.
1.9 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, there were some problems encountered which stood as limitations to the research work. Some of the limitations include:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Research Material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope 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).
- Initial Cooperation Delay from Respondents: A particular limitation of this work came as a result of the respondent refusal to offer their cooperation at the initial time they were contacted. This contributed in making the success of this research study difficult.
1.10 Definition of Terms
Influence:
It refers to the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something, or the effect itself.
Academic Performance:
Academic achievement or (academic) performance is the extent to which a student, teacher or institution has achieved their short or long-term educational goals. Cumulative GPA and completion of educational degrees such as High School and bachelor's degrees represent academic achievement.
Parent:
In humans, a parent is the caretaker of a child. A biological parent is a person whose gamete resulted in a child, a male through the sperm, and a female through the ovum. Parents are first-degree relatives and have 50% genetic meet.
Girl Child:
The life of a girl child is steadily improving; many are still subjected to horrific practices, such as female genital mutilation, son preference often resulting in female infanticide as well as child marriage, sexual exploitation and abuse.
1.11 Organization of the Study
For the information presented in a research work to be clearly understood and appreciated, a systematic and chronological presentation of the work is of greater importance. In keeping with this, this research has been organized and presented in five chapters;
Chapter One of the study, provides background of the study, stating the problem of the study and the research questions and hypotheses to be tested in the study. It also highlights the significance of the study and scope of the study.
Chapter Two reviews related literature on the Influence of Parental Monitory on Girl Child and Its Impact on Academic Performance.
Chapter Three; information on the method employed in the collection of data and their analysis can be found in this chapter. Also in this chapter, justification is provided for the adoption of the methods and analytical techniques employed.
Chapter Four; This involves the presentation and analyses of data findings from the testing of hypothesis are also presented here.
Chapter Five; This is the final chapter and it contains the summary of the entire work done, the conclusions down, and the recommendations made by the researcher based on the findings of the research work.
Appendices; It is usual practice that in the final pages of research work, reproductions of some document such as questionnaire relevant tables, statute, and letters attached for a better appreciation of the research work by the reader. This can also serve as a means of verification work done.
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