Educational levels of parents differ from family to family, some family or parents are graduates, some are school certificate leavers, while some are even less than or nothing at all. Literacy level of parents differs accordingly and goes a long way to affect the children’s academic achievement.
Douglas and Davis (2006) noted that “the well educated parents are quick to provide both financial and material support to ensure that children progress”. The educational level of parents has significant impact on the children’s academic achievement. The parental value on education is greatly influenced by their educational status. The higher educational level, the higher educational aspirations, encouragement and assistance offered to the children (Ramsey & Dubbey, 2004). A child parents that are well educated is likely to do better in school than those parents who are not well educated or educated at all. This is because of the different kind of support and motivation that will be given to the children.
Yoloye (2009), Fagbamiye (2009) found that, from their study, educational background of parents was a factor influencing females’ educational ambition. The well-educated parents know the value of education and as such will assist the children in a number of ways like sending them to the best schools, best courses in the higher institutions, encouraging them to go to school early, help the children with their lessons at home, providing a favourable home environment that will facilitate learning, show interest in the co-curriculum activities of their children’s schools.
The illiterate parents on the other hand are unable to provide these conditions for their children due to ignorance and as a result, their children suffer from these unfavourable conditions thus they take the alternative courses as teaching. Since the parents are not educated they may not see the need to send their children to the best schools as they may term all schools are the same. Also, they will be unable to assist their children in their lessons and will not know the best atmosphere that the children needs for learning.
Faster (1973) cited in Kariemu (2006) is of the opinion that “parents who are anxious that their children should do well at school and provide them with incentive and encouragement will result in good school progress”. This favourable parental attitude is very important in promoting good academic performance in school and lack of it result in retardation of children performance at school. Akinboye (2001) stated that “the educational level of parents is of significant impact on the education of their children”. Education generally changes society. Any among of education received by an individual has an impact on the life of the individual and the society, which he lives. He further contends that parents who are educated attach much importance and value to the children’s education. He was of the view that the higher the educational level of parents, the higher the education aspiration and encouragement given to the children ad such children are likely to have higher educational aspiration and achievement. He stresses further that the educated parents keep over their children’s progress and discuss always with the teacher about their difficulties.
The illiterate parents who are mostly manual workers have no clear ideas of their children’s aspiration and have unrealistic hopes. In most cases they are not in any higher position, thus they will not know the right encouragement to give to their children, this influence the females’ choice of teaching as a profession.
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