SOCIO-ECONOMIC LEVEL AND INFLUENCE ON STUDENTS ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1.1Background of the Study Globally, in two distinctive ways, parents have the largest single effect on their children's development. Parents serve as socializing agents by giving objectives and a value system from which the kid learns diverse behavioral patterns. In certain cases, parents adopt a carefree approach toward their children's learning, even their social orientation, which has resulted in low academic achievement and maladaptive behaviors in their immediate community (Hake, 2019).  to support this, Ndubuisi (2015) found a link between parental attitudes and their children's social orientation and academic success. Ndubuisi believes that parents' dimensions of value placed on their children's well-being, whether good or negative, have a substantial impact on the child's positive or negative adaptation to his/her society, as well as the manner he/she carries out his/her academic work at school. Many elements, both inside and outside of the school system, contribute directly or indirectly to a child's educational development. These variables are influenced by either genetics or environment. Many psychologists, including Freud and Adler, today downplay the importance of inheritance in the overall development of the child, while emphasizing the importance of the environment. Craft et al. (2020) contributed to a better understanding of the link between a child's home environment and his academic achievement in school. A kid is both a product of and a reflection of society. While the school is in charge of the official education system, the home provides both formal and informal educational experiences. Many psychologists have advised for making a child's immediate surroundings (home) highly exciting in order to promote intellectual growth and good academic success. According to Locke (1970) cited in Ismail (2018),  every child is born with a blank slate, and  the environment  where they grown in determines what fills the vacuum. This is what he meant by "Tabula Rasa." In other words, the place we live in may either accentuate or dampen what we got from our parents. According to Mudock and Mudock (2004) quoted in Adeola (2020), the first six years of a kid's life are critical because everything that goes wrong at this time has a long-term impact on the youngster as he grows up. It is at this early period that the child's personal qualities and mental health are formed. The youngster learns to love and be loved, as well as how to deal with sibling rivalry. If the atmosphere is not suitable, the child will develop sentiments of hate and violence at this age. This early socialization process is crucial because it helps a youngster acclimate to environments other than his or her own. Similarly, psychologists and sociologists such as Jersild (2015) and Hurlock (2016) feel that if good foundations for fundamental skill acquisition are not created while the child is young, learning becomes a challenge later in life since it is frequently unsuccessful. Joyce and colleagues (2015) have long established that in effective schools that provide high-quality education, there is usually frequent communication between the school and parents, which is primarily positive, such as at award days and parent days, and two-way, with parents frequently initiating contact with the school. This should include parents monitoring accountability initiatives and serving as advisers in school reform activities. This can be accomplished by having parents serve in the school's standing and ad hoc special committees and boards, such as the special events committee, disciplinary committee, and governing board. This manner, parents gain firsthand knowledge of the school's needs and challenges and may collaborate with the school to solve them (Aloe, 2016). Importantly, teachers have a challenging job and would appreciate anyone who supports and recognizes their efforts. According to Iheanyi (2016), when parents have the appropriate knowledge and abilities related to the school curriculum, they can function as information sources, audiences for school academic activities, and/or class aides. There appears to be considerable evidence that parental engagement in homework and assignments may boost children's academic success. Parental favorable and cooperative attitudes toward school development have been demonstrated to positively affect children's learning results in school. Such parental behaviors are evident in good attendance at PTA meetings, bringing children to school on time, paying fees on time, requiring children to finish homework on time, and parents visiting the school on a frequent basis to check their children's development. 1.2Statement of the Problem The issue of poor socioeconomic position among parents, and its impact on children' academic ability, cannot be overstated. Most parents in Nigeria today are impoverished, and the majority are unemployed. This can be attributed to the country's terrible economic status as well as the global economic slump. As a result, Onyenani (2018) asserted that parents lack the financial resources to support themselves and their children. The majority of Nigerian parents fail to fulfill their obligation to send their children to school. Many of them do not adequately care for their children in school because they lack the financial means to carry or foot their children's school costs. As a result, many children whose parents are impoverished are continually missing from school, and the bulk of the youngsters have dropped out. These parents do not buy necessary books for their children or pay for other school-related costs (Jimoh, 2016). Not only that, but underprivileged children are not adequately cared for. Children from low-income families, for example, do not receive adequate nutrition before and after school. As a result, the majority of them arrive at school on an empty stomach and do not pay attention to what is going on in the classroom. According to Hawawu (2021), a kid need good nutrition to supplement cognition, but poor children do not receive adequate feeding, much alone a balanced diet. Children whose parents are impoverished are expected to live in a hostile atmosphere where they are unable to read freely and do not have access to study resources that will allow them to complete important academic work. As a result of these factors, the youngsters do poorly in school. As a result of the aforementioned issues, this research was required. 1.3 Objectives of the Study The main purpose of this study was to examine socio-economic level and influence on students academic performance: a critical analysis.  The specific objectives of the study include: i.          To examine whether parents income status affect their children’s academic  orientation. ii.        To determine whether parents support in take-home assignment  affects their children’s learning outcome iii.      To  investigate  whether there parents’ level of education influences student academic performance. iv.      To investigate whether parent’s occupation and involvement  impacts  student’s academic achievement 1.4Research Questions

The study is guided by the following research question:

v.        Does  parents income status affect their children’s academic  orientation? vi.      Does parents support in take-home assignment  affects their children’s learning outcome? vii.    Does parents’ level of education influences student academic performance? viii.  Does parent’s occupation and involvement  impacts  student’s academic achievement? 1.5 Significance of the Study This study will be of great benefit to the various segments of individuals and group of individuals in the society. For instance: The students will benefit from this study because its findings and recommendations will help them to appreciate that they need parental care and positive values for them to be successful in school and society at large. It will make the students to be more adaptive to parental control and care.  Parents would also benefit from this study because it will enable them to be up and doing in the upbringing of their children if they want them to be successful in both academics and in life. This study will enlighten parents on the best methods of bringing up a child in the home. Teachers would be beneficiaries of this study because, it will enable them to be more enlightened on how best to train their children in the home and at school, as surrogate parents.The society will undoubtedly, benefit from this study because it will enable the adults members of the society to learn that parental value system has something to do with the child’s behaviour and his/her academic success in the school.  Empirically, the study will add to the general body of knowledge and serve as a reference material to student and scholars who wish to conduct further studies in related field. 1.6 Scope of the Study

The scope of this study borders on socio-economic level and influence on students academic performance: a critical analysis. Other variables discussed include parents’ level of income, involvement leve, support and occupation alongside their relative influence on student academic orientation. The study is however delimited to selcted secondary school in Asaba Local government Area in Delta state.

1.7       LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

Like in every human endeavour, the researchers encountered slight constraints while carrying out the study. The significant constraint was the scanty literature on the subject owing that it is a new discourse thus the researcher incurred more financial expenses and much time was required in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature, or information and in the process of data collection, which is why the researcher resorted to a limited choice of sample size covering only  secondary schools in Asaba Local government Area in Delta state.. Thus findings of this study cannot be used for generalization for other  junior schools in other  states within Nigeria. Additionally, the researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work will impede maximum devotion to the research. Howbeit, despite the constraint encountered during the  research, all factors were downplayed in other to give the best and make the research successful.

1.8Definition of Terms

Operational definitions of terms were appropriately provided in this study. Virtually, all the variables in the study were defined accordingly.

Parents: This means father, mother or ancestors e.g. our first parents (Adam and Eve).

Students: This means a person who is studying at a college, polytechnic or university; boy or girl attending schools; anyone who studies or who is devoted to the acquisition of knowledge.

Academic Performance: This refers to the level or rate at which students in school perform in their academic career. It also shows the level at which students carry out their school works at a given period of time and the result of it.Socio-Economic Status: This refers to the level of social stratification of individuals in a given society. It is the socio-economic distinction amongst members of the society.

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