AN ASSESSMENT OF THE INFLUENCE OF FAMILY BACKGROUND ON STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN VIHIGA COUNTY, KENYA

Despite the Government of Kenya providing free secondary education, there has been poor academic performance as noted in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Examination (K.C.S.E) results. Therefore, the study endeared to investigate the relationship between family background and students’ academic performance. The study was based on Albert Bandura’s Social Learning Theory, which considers leaning as an interaction between environment, behaviour, and one’s psychological processes. This was a correlational study carried out in Sabatia District of Vihiga County in twenty-one public secondary schools. The respondents were selected using simple random sampling technique. Questionnaires were used to collect data, which were analyzed by multiple regressions. The study revealed that family background was the most potent predictor of students’ academic performance. For a student to attain high academic performance in the district public day secondary schools, home environment must be conducive. Learning does not only take place in school, but at home where they the students take private studies and revision. Consequently, the person(s) whom the student stays with at home and their level of education have far reaching relationship with the student’s academic performance. The findings of the study are useful to teachers, principals and parents as it will enhance their understanding of the relationship between the student’ psychosocial factors and their academic performance and how to improve their academic performance.