IMPACT OF BROKEN HOMES ON ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AMONG SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN IMO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study was carried out specifically to find out the commonality of studentsin secondary schools from broken homes, establish whether such family background had aneffect on their school performance, and submit ways such students can be helped to improvetheir academic performance. This study employed a survey design utilizing a simple randomsampling methodology. The population sample consisted of teachers and students from seniorsecondary schools within Mbaitoli Local Government Area, Imo State. This approach ensuredthat the selection of participants was unbiased and representative of the broader population,thus enhancing the reliability and validity of the findings. In determining the sample size, theresearcher used 266 respondents with 259 validated. A self-constructed and validatedquestionnaire was utilized for data collection, and statistical analysis was performed usingfrequency tables and mean scores. The findings revealed that broken homes tend to contributeto a negative flagging on the affected students’ academic performance. It is thereforerecommended that married people should think about the implications of the negative effectthat broken relationship can have on the emotional, academic, social, and educationalperformance of their children and wards in the long and short term. The author is of the opinionthat schools should provide accessible and well-resourced counselling services with trainedand motivated professionals who can support students