Socio-economic status or background can be said to be the related income of parents, their occupation, and their level of education. The socio-economic background of a family tells us the social class the family belongs to on the social pyramid and the kind of wealth, rights, obligations, powers, privileges and so on.
Lovell (2004) maintained in his study that the causes of educational retardation are the socio-economic background, poverty, poor feeding, insufficient sleep and general neglect. He also stressed the importance of the stability of the family, parental attitude and interest to the students as contributing to the general poor performance of students in schools. He concluded stating that unfavourable home conditions to a greater extent frequently seem to be the causes of failures in school today.Peretomode (1995) states that many children live in difficult conditions, sometimes their school may be able to do little to change their condition. It is necessary to note that some unwelcome behaviour is a response to adverse living condition. For example, many families suffer because of limited opportunity for better living, the effects are sometimes observed on their children’s ability to perform or participate fully in the school. Akpochafo (2005) maintained that the upper class is occupied by people with high socio-economic status. That they live in good homes, have well paid jobs and they are able to possess costly and beautiful prestigious social things and environment. They are able to send their children to school and study the best courses of their choice. On the other hand, the lower class who are unskilled labourers, uneducated petty traders can only afford to train their children in lower course teaching.
The children form the high socio-economic status (upper class) tend to perform well, acquire much materials for learning, live in best environment for reading and relaxation, their parents provide lesson teachers for them from teenage, all these stimulates them psychologically, emotionally, educationally and in general endeavours. They are exposed to the best environment, schools, social activities. Through these, learning experiences and activities tend to be acquired.
However, the lower class, Akpochafo (2005), Peretomode and Omoregie (2006) both held the view that children form this kind of socio-economic background are rarely educated and undirected, they are not exposed to good environment and social facilities. They sometimes live by people’s mercy, even the society tends to indicate that they are not useful and of low standard. In essence the socio-economic status determines to a great extent influence of female choice of teaching aspiration.
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