Influence of family types and parent’s socioeconomic status on school dropout among female students in the Old Ogoja Zone of Cross River, Nigeria

Eneji, C.V. O.^1*, Ubom Bassey A.E¹, Eneji, J.E.O², Obogo, G.O.³ and Dunnamah, A.Y⁴

¹Department of Science and Environmental Education, Faculty of Education, University of Abuja, Nigeria.

²Department of Nursing Sciences, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, Enugu, Nigeria

³Educational Foundations, Guidance and Counseling, University of Calabar, Nigeria.

⁴College of Education, Hong, Adamawa State, Nigeria.

*Corresponding Author E-mail: vcogareneji@yahoo.com; Tel.: +23480 8504 272

Accepted 07 January, 2013

Abstract

The researchers set out to assess the influence of family type and socioeconomic status of parents on female student’s school dropout, the research location is within the old Ogoja zone of Nigeria which includes Obanliku, Obudu, Bekwarra, Ogoja and Yala Local Government Areas of Cross River State. Using stratified and systematic random sampling technique, 8 secondary schools were selected from the study area. A total of 400 students were randomly selected for the study using the school period between 2005-2012. The list of female students dropout used for the study was gotten from the school register including their residential addresses. About 24 students who dropped out of schools moved out of the neiborhood, but this did not include the sample finally selected for the study. Female students, parents and teachers were used for the study. A hypothesis was stated thus: parent’s socioeconomic status and family type does not significantly influence female student’s school dropout. Using a well structured questionnaire for data collection and analyzing the data gathered with Pearson moment correlation at 0.5% significant level, the researchers found no significant correlation between family types and female student’s school dropout, but found a significant correlation between parent’s socioeconomic status and female students’ school dropout rates. The researchers concluded that despite the results of the analysis, there is a significant correlation between family type and socioeconomic status and female student’s school dropout. Some recommendations were then made to solve the problem of female student’s school dropout as influenced by parent’s socioeconomic status and family types.

Keywords: Family types, parent’s socioeconomic status, school dropout, academic achievement, learning environment and home factors.