INFLUENCE OF PARENTAL PROVISION OF LEARNING RESOURCES ON STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN SCIENCE SUBJECTS AMONG PUBLIC DAY SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN VIHIGA SUB-COUNTY
Felix Manyola - Department of Educational Planning and Management, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Kenya
Dr. Zilpah Kageha - Department of Educational Planning and Management, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Kenya
ABSTRACT
Science education remains central in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4 and in advancing national competitiveness through human capital development, technological development and scientific innovation. Despite these efforts, relatively low academic achievement in science subjects has remained a concern, particularly in rural public secondary schools, including those in Vihiga Sub-County. Students continue to experience challenges in achieving satisfactory learning outcomes, raising concerns about factors that influence achievement in science subjects. Although parental involvement is widely recognized as an important contributor to students’ academic success, its specific influence on academic achievement in science subjects within rural public day secondary schools remains underexplored. Against this background, the study examined the influence of parental provision of learning resources on students’ academic achievement in science subjects among public day secondary schools in Vihiga Sub-County, Kenya. The study focused on four dimensions of parental involvement: provision of learning resources, supervision and assistance with homework, collaboration with teachers, and monitoring of academic progress. The study was anchored on Epstein’s Theory of Overlapping Spheres of Influence and adopted a correlational research design. The target population comprised 9,540 students and 220 science teachers, from which a sample of 366 students and 140 teachers was selected using stratified and simple random sampling techniques. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and document analysis and analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s pairwise correlation and hierarchical multiple regression. The findings indicated that parental provision of learning resources significantly predicted science academic achievement (B = 6.726, p < .001) after controlling for student gender, age, form level, teacher teaching experience, teacher professional qualification and school science learning resources. Parents’ supervision and assistance with homework also significantly predicted science academic achievement (B = 6.487, p < .001), while parental collaboration with teachers significantly predicted science academic achievement (B = 6.335, p < .001). The study concludes that the effectiveness of parental involvement depends on its quality and purpose rather than merely its presence or frequency. Parental provision of learning resources is more meaningful when the resources provided are relevant to students' science learning needs, including materials that support practical and home-based learning. The study recommends that parents should be encouraged to provide or facilitate access to essential resources such as science textbooks, revision materials, stationery, reference materials, practical learning materials and appropriate resources for home-based science study. Schools should sensitize parents on the specific resources that are most relevant to science learning, with particular attention to practical and specialized materials that may be less readily available to learners.