Home Environment and Female Learners’ Perform Nce in Secondary Schools in Bor County, Jonglei State, South Sudan

ABSTRACT The study was designed to examine the relationship between female learners’ home environment (such as enrollment by parents on time, unplanned marriage and distribution of household chores among siblings especially between boys and girls) and their performance in school (dropout and promotion rates). The instruments used were researcher own designed questionnaire on home environment and a modified students’ progression data collected from the schools administration for the one hundred and twenty one (121) secondary learners from four (4) secondary schools that were involved in the study. The total number reached was a hundred and fifty two (152) learners from a total of seven secondary schools however some were later dropped specifically in the analysis of level of performance due to lack of school level data. A correlation analysis was run on the home environment variable against the dropout and promotion rates and t-test calculated. The result of the study showed that on one hand; there is a moderately high positive correlation between Students’ home environment and drop out and on the hand other hand a moderately high negative correlation between home environment and promotion rate. Based on the findings of the research, recommendations were made that parents should reevaluate their parenting methods to influence timing of marriage, timing of enrolment and most importantly distribution of domestic workload on female learners so as to help reduce pressure on female learners in schools; parents should set high expectations and create conducive home environments for their children to improve their attitudes to school.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter Page

One THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE

Introduction 1

Background to the study 1

Statement ofthe Problem 4

Purpose of the Study 4

Objectives 5

Research Questions 5

Hypothesis 6

Scope 6

Significance or Justification 8

Operational Definitions of Key Terms 9

Two LITERATURE REVIEW

Introduction 11

Concepts, Opinion and Ideas 11

Theoretical Perspectives 17

Review of Related Literature 18

Three METHODOLOGY

Research Design 27

Research Population 27

Sample Size 27

Sampling Procedure 28

Research Instrument 28

Validity and Reliability of the Instrument 29

Data Gathering Procedures 29

Data Analysis 31

Ethical Considerations 31

Limitations of the Study 32

Four RESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF Data

introduction 33

Hve FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECO~4MENDATIONS

Findings 40

Conclusion 41

Recommendation 42

Areas for further Research 42

References 44

Appendices 47

Appendix I - Transmittal Letter 47

Appendix II - Clearance from Ethics Committee 48

Appendix III - Informed Consent 49

Appendix IV - Research Instrument 51

ResearcherTs Curriculum Vitae 55