Influence of Parental Socio-Economic Status on Academic Performance of Girls in Mixed Day Secondary Schools in Kenya: A study across Mixed Day Secondary Schools in Homa Bay town Sub-County.

Education is globally recognized as a key investment with significant social and economic returns.parents are considered to be the primary drivers of children’s development holistically. Notwithstanding aforementioned factors unequal access and persistent challenges continue to limit the academic performance of the girl child. In Homa Bay Sub-County, approximately 60% of girls in mixed day secondary schools perform below average, raising concern about the factors influencing their academic achievement. The objective of the study was to establish the influence of parental socio-economic status on the academic performance of girls in mixed day secondary schools in Homa Bay town Sub-County. The findings of the study indicated that, parental occupation, parental involvement and parental level of income highly influenced the girls academic performance while parental level of education and students’ level of confidence had moderate influence on the girls academic performance. The study concluded that parental socio-economic status on academic performance of girls had high influence on girls’ academic performance. The study recommended strengthening parental involvement through regular engagement, improving availability of teaching and learning resources, enhancing classroom environments, and addressing challenges related to distance to school. The findings of the study will inform policy makers and stakeholders in education in formulation of policies for management and practice. They also form baseline for future research on girls’ academic performance in similar contexts.

Influence, Parental Socio-Economic Status, Academic Performance, Girls in Mixed Day Secondary Schools, Kenya: Mixed Day Secondary Schools, Homa Bay town Sub-County.

1. Adewale, B. A., Jagede, F., Okubote, F., & Olagbadegun, M. (2021). Impact of classroom environments on the academic performance of architecture students in Covenant University. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 665(1), 012017. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755 1315/665/1/012017 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. Ahmed, A. G., & Yemisi, I. (2024). Effect of parental socio economic characteristics on the learning performance of pre primary school pupils in Abuja, Nigeria. Journal of Education Research and Library Practice, 48. https://africascholarpub.com/ajerlp/article/view/238 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Agenda Usawa. (2024). Are our secondary schools unjust by design? Usawa 2nd Secondary School Survey Report. https://www.usawaagenda.org [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. Aguillon, S. M., Siegmund, G. F., Petipas, R. H., Drake, A. G., Cotner, S., & Ballen, C. J. (2020). Gender differences in student participation in an active-learning classroom. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 19(2), ar12. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.19-03-0048 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Aregae, C. E., & Kikechi, R. W. (2023). Influence of parental income on girl child education in public secondary schools in Turkana North. IJRDO – Journal of Educational Research, 9(8), 55–60. https://doi.org/10.535555/er.v9i8.5886 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Baliyan, S. P., & Khama, D. (2020). How distance to school and study hours after school influence students’ performance in mathematics and English: A comparative analysis. Journal of Education and E Learning Research, 7, 209–217. https://doi.org/10.20448/journal.509.2020.72.209.217 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Bammou, H., El Bouhali, M., & El Alaoui, A. (2024). Impact of the distance travelled to school on students’ performance in public schools in Morocco. European Scientific Journal, 33, 300–317. https://eujournal.org/index.php/ejs/article/view/18565 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. Bano, S., Saira, & Iqbal, Z. (2023). Effect of parent socio economic status on students’ academic achievement. Pakistan Languages and Humanities Review, 7(1), 449–455. https://doi.org/10.47205/plhr.2023(7 1)41 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Batoya B.I. Simatwa E.M.W.,& Ayodo T.M.O. (2013). Influence of Home Based Factors on Internal Efficiency Primary school in Bungoma North and Kimilili-Bungoma Districts. Educ. Res 2013 Vol. 4(10) 2222-1735 (ISSN: 2222-288X). [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. Carolyn, A. Owuor, E.M.W. Simatwa, & Ndolo, M. A. (2022). Influence of parental occupation on student academic performance in public secondary schools in Kenya: A case study of Homa Bay Sub County. International Journal of Current Research, 14(2), 20878–20885. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. Chinyoka, K., & Naidu, N. (2014). Influence of home based factors on the academic performance of girl learners from poverty stricken families: A case of Zimbabwe. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 5(6), 223–232. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. Evans, D. K., Hares, S., Holland, P. A., & Mendez Acosta, A. (2023). Adolescent girls' safety in and out of school: Evidence on physical and sexual violence from across Sub-Saharan Africa. The Journal of Development Studies, 59(5), 739–757. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220388.2023.2172333 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. Felez-Nobrega, M., Werneck, A.O., Bauman, A. et al. Active school commuting in adolescents from 28 countries across Africa, the Americas, and Asia: a temporal trends study. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 20, 1 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-022-01404-y [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

14. Hascher, T., Hagenauer, G., & Volet, S. (2023). Students’ self-beliefs, motivation, and academic achievement: A systematic review. Educational Psychology Review, 35, 1–28. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

15. Htay, L. W., & Sann, C. (2020). A study of influence of classroom environment on academic achievement of high school students. Journal of the Myanmar Academy of Arts and Science, 18, 399–412. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

16. Iddrisu, H. M., & Alhassan, A. S. (2025). The impact of parents’ socioeconomic status on students’ educational success in senior high schools in the Northern Region of Ghana. International Journal of Educational Researchers, 16(2), 49–64. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

17. Idris, M., & Rufus, M. O. (2021). Influence of parental socioeconomic status on students’ academic performance among secondary schools in Taraba State, Nigeria. Jalingo Journal of Social and Management Science, 3, 239–255. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

18. Jepchirchir, G., Situma, D. J., & Kiprotich, D. E. (2025). Effect of socio economic status environment at home on academic performance in public secondary day schools in Moiben Sub County. GPH International Journal of Educational Research, 8(8), 53–69. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

19. Juma L.S.A. Simatwa E.M.W., Ayodo T.M.O (2012). Impact of Family Socio-Economic Status on Girl Students’ Academic Achievement in Secondary Schools in Kenya: A Case Study of Kisumu East District. Educ Res 2012 Vol. 3(3) 297-310 (ISSN: 2141-5161). [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

20. Kamoet, P. C., & Mbirithi, D. M. (2024). Effect of classroom environment on academic achievement of secondary school students in Mombasa County, Kenya. International Academic Journal of Social Sciences and Education, 2(3), 345–363. https://iajournals.org/articles/iajsse v2 i3 345363.pdf [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

21. Kapinga, S. O. (2014). Impact of parental socioeconomic status on students’ academic achievement in secondary schools in Tanzania. International Journal of Education, 6(4), 41–55 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

22. Kyao, S. M., & Onyango, D. O. (2024). Contribution of parents’ occupation on students’ academic achievements in public secondary schools in Njombe Town Council. East African Journal of Education Studies, 7(1), 342–351. https://doi.org/10.37284/eajes.7.1.1781 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

23. Liu, L. (2023). Research on the impact of family socio economic status on children’s academic performance (Master’s thesis). North East Normal University. https://doi.org/10.27011/d.cnki.gdbsu.2023.001466 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

24. Meremikwu, A. N., & Ekpenyong, I. E. (2020). Influence of classroom environment on senior secondary school students’ academic achievement in mathematics in Calabar, Nigeria. Educational Research and Reviews, 15(8), 495–503. https://doi.org/10.5897/ERR2020.3983 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

25. Mogas Recalde, J., & Palau, R. (2020). Classroom lighting and its effect on student learning and performance: Towards smarter conditions. In Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies (pp. 3–12). Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.1007/978 981 15 7383 5_1 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

26. Msoffe, R. M., & Mohamed, F. (2023). Effects of distance on girls’ education and influence on gender inequality in secondary education: Case study of community secondary schools in Pangani and Handeni districts, Tanzania. European Journal of Social Sciences Studies, 8(4). https://doi.org/10.46827/ejssss.v8i4.1421 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

27. Mugenda, O.M., & Mugenda, A.G. (2003) Research Methods: Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches. Nairobi: African Centre for Technical Studies press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

28. Odumbe A.G., Simatwa E.M.W., Ayodo T.M.O. (2015). Factors Influencing Student Academic Performance in Day-Secondary Schools in Kenya. A Case Study of Migori Sub county. Greener Journal of Educational Research (ISSN: 2276-7789 ICV: 6.05) Vol. 5 (3): 078-097, July 2015. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

29. Ogalo P.L., Simatwa E.M.W,. Juma L.S.A (2014). Social and Economic based Management Strategies used by Principals in the provision of Secondary School Education in Nyando and Muhoroni Districts, Kenya. An Analytical Study. Educ. Res 2014 Vol. 5(2):71-82 (ISSN: 2141-5161). [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

30. Ready, D. D. (2010). Socioeconomic disadvantage, school attendance, and early cognitive development. Early Education and Development, 21(2), 271–298. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

31. Sato, T. (2022). AsSocio-economic statussing critical thinking through L2 argumentative essay: An investigation of relevant and salient criteria from raters’ perspective. Language Testing in Asia, 12(9). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40468 022 00159 4 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

32. Shah, S. O., & Hussain, M. (2021). Parental occupation and its effect on the performance of children. Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research, 8(8), 576–583. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

33. Sherpa, D. (2022). Impact of distance on learning outcomes: A case study of a community school in Dhankuta District. Geographical Journal of Nepal, 15(1), 13100–1343. https://doi.org/10.3126/gjn.v15i01.42891 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

34. UNESCO. (2023). Global Education Monitoring Report 2023: Technology in Education. https://doi.org/10.54676/UZQV8501 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

35. Wang, M.-T., Degol, J., Amemiya, J., Parr, A., & Guo, J. (2020). Classroom climate and children’s academic and psychological wellbeing: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Developmental Review, 57, Article 100912. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dr.2020.100912 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

36. Wang, Y., Zhang, X., Liu, H., & Chen, Z. (2024). Academic self-efficacy and student achievement: The mediating role of learning engagement. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, 1345678. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

37. World Bank. (2022). Education Finance Watch 2022: Spotlight on education expenditure. World Bank. https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/099102824144527868/pdf/p50097819250a00ce1812018168df2deaa3.pdf [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

38. Yonas, V., Rupia, C., & Onyango, D. (2023). Classroom management challenges facing teachers in enhancing students' academic achievement in public secondary schools in Tarime District. East African Journal of Education Studies, 6(1), 22–37. https://doi.org/10.37284/eajes.6.1.1048 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

39. Yoshida, Y., et al. (2024). The impact of family socioeconomic status on parental involvement and student engagement during COVID 19 in promoting academic achievement. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 246, 105992. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2024.105992 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

40. Zhang, F., Jiang, Y., Ming, H., Ren, Y., Wang, L., & Huang, S. (2020). Family socio-economic status and children's academic achievement: The different roles of parental academic involvement and subjective social mobility. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 90(3), 561–579. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjep.12374 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• Assessment of the Role of Artificial Intelligence in Repositioning TVET for Economic Development in Nigeria
• Teachers’ Use of Assure Model Instructional Design on Learners’ Problem Solving Efficacy in Secondary Schools in Bungoma County, Kenya
• “E-Booksan Ang Kaalaman”: Development, Validation, and Utilization of Electronic Book in Academic Performance of Grade 9 Students in Social Studies
• Analyzing EFL University Students’ Academic Speaking Skills Through Self-Recorded Video Presentation
• Major Findings of The Study on Total Quality Management in Teachers’ Education Institutions (TEIs) In Assam – An Evaluative Study