CHAPTER ONE

Introduction

1.1     Background to the Study

          Broken home connote the division or the separation of parent who have been together and suddenly divorce or terminated their relationship or unite the once agreed marriage knot after exchanging material vows and have lived together.

          Marriage is an institution that play very important-role in the upbringing and the development of human beings marriage is the joining together of two matured people who agree to spend their lifetime together. Thus taking joint care or responsibility over their children who are the fruits of the union.

          Marriage aids the realization of many basic individual needs such as the need for status. Companionship, procreation and the need to fulfilling sexual intimacy and satisfaction.

          In fact the institution is gradually losing its standard value as statistics show that it is fast diminishing as many homes are broken. The problem of single parenthood is far alarming in our society and the explanations for broken marriage include among other thongs cheerlessness, parental interference, religious conflicts, poverty and poor mutual understanding.

          The growing trend of this pheromone from the basic background to this study.

1.2     Statement of the Problem              

          The incessant rate of the broken home in our society has become very alarming, most especially on secondary school academic achievement and this call for an urgent attention from our parent and the government to rehabilitate the collapsed area in most homes. Which may have future implication on our children in all sphere of their lives.

          However, the government, culture, norms and value of our society have cleared and defined way of making sure that our homes are not broken.

          But the adequate research and development had helped us to understand their most homes have disembarked on the stated guideline or protocol that will allow frequent broken home syndrome. Moreover, the specific question which this study seeks to find answer to is the impact of broken home on student academic performance and also the achievement. It has been discovered that despite the huge financial commitment the government make to the educational system annually. The performance of student in various courses of study has not quite impressive in both internally and externally conducted examination. Most student perform below expectation. The situation is not allow better in the social and moral attitudes of the student which the cases of poor performance arise in school system. Many student blame their teachers. The teacher on their own part apportion the blame on student or their parent even to the government.

          To this end the impact of broken homes is not affecting the victims (student) alone but the society at large. If marital stability is encouraged by all and sundry then we can make better society from the existing one.

1.3     Purpose of the Study                

          The specific purpose of this study is to investigate the effect or impact of broken home on student academic achievement with a view to identifying the factors responsible for broken homes. Its impacts or effect on student academic achievement in the school and proffer possible solution. The study examine the significant difference between the performance of children from stable and that from broken home.

          The study also intend to give specific analysis of the reasons only broken homes had become the trend in our society the causes and the effect on academic achievement of secondary school using Sagamu Remo Divisional High School as a case study. The research work will also attempt to make appropriate\ recommendation to sustain the institution of marriage.

1.4     Significance of the Study                    

          The study of the causes and effect of broken home, the impact of broken home in our society is an issue that is wroth given an adequate attention to, so as to enable the parent, society and the government see the area of problems, which will also enable the stakeholder to give a vital suggestion and recommendation.

          It is significant because it will serve as guidance to the classroom teacher and help the parent on how best to take care and bring up their children well. The case study is also significant in that it sought to illuminate the salient factor that makes it difficult for academics objectives to be realized. Hence to may serve as an eye opener to researcher and parents in one hand and the society or government in the other hand. This research will help educationist to know their broken homes are creating a great hock to the disciplinary aspect of children.

          Above all, this scientific analysis or research will enable all students in both private and public schools have full concentration on their studies and also help respective home to live with peace and joy.

1.5     Research Questions

          The study research tends to find out that the impact of broken homes on student academic achievement of student in Remo Divisional High School Sagamu Local Government Area. For this purpose the research would like to answer the following question:

1.       Do we have broken home in the Nigeria Society in abundance?

2.       What are the basic reason for these?

3.       What are the causes of broken home?

4.       Do they have any effects on our children?

5.       Does separation of parent or divorce has anything to with their children?

1.6     Scope and Limitations of the Study                  

          The study covers Sagamu Local Government area of Ogun State. Some Secondary Schools are selected student and married men and woman opinions are also sampled.

          Since the scope is limited to local government area, absolute generalization may not be possible data collections on this research work form a major limitation to the study.

          For example among women interviewed 42% by virtue of religion refuse to give appropriate attention 30% responded appropriately while the remaining 18% gave false responses.  Inspite of all those limitation, the work makes some headway digging into the causes and problem of broken home vis-à-vis education development of children.

1.7     Definition of Terms        

          In this research work, terms like academic broken home, children divorce, economy, family, home, impact, marriage, performance, achievement, poverty, student and victims would be used in the subsequence chapters.

i.                   Academic: This can be defined as the study from book or good at studying and getting a good result at school. It is also connected with education especially studying and involving a lot of reading studying.

ii.                 Broken Home: In the ordinary sense broken home can be defined as a situation where by their separation in between a wife and her husband, which simply refers to divorce. On the other hands, broken home can be described as a family setup in which the parent are separated from each other.

Broken home: Current English dictionary refer to broken home as one in which the parent have separate or are divorced, so that the children, lack proper care security e.t.c.     

iii.              Children: This can simply defined as a young human being who are not yet an adult it’s may be a son or daughter  

iv.              Divorce: Can be describe as a “savage emotional journey” where a person ricochets between the failure of the past and the uncertainty of the future, for more is involved than the legal and of a marriage.

v.                 Economy: This has to do with trade, industry, and the development of wealth. It is the relationship between the production trade and the supply of money in particular country or region. It is also the use of the time money that is available in a way that avoids waste.

vi.              Family: Family is the basic of society. This is the essential component of a country government will only be effective. If the citizens are properly oriented with good values and virtues, which is commonly taught by the family. It is the people who are related to each other.

vii.            Home: A home is where a family lives. It may be alternated to the word “house” but a house is more appropriately referring to the material construction, whereas “home” refer to the intangible thing that bind together the family members. It is the immeasurable love and care that keep together the mother father and their children.

viii.         Impacts: Is the powerful effect that something has on somebody or something. It is to have an effect on something and also it is the act of one object hitting another the force with this happens.

ix.              Marriage: This is defined as the union of man and woman in anticipation of accomplishing the marital assignment.

x.                 Performance: This can be described as the act of doing a piece of work or duty. It is an act that involves a lot of effort or trouble sometime when it is not necessary.

xi.              Poverty: It is the state of being poor, this is a lack of something that is good and quality.

xii.            Student: This is a person who is studying at a school, especially a  secondary or primary school. It is also a person who is very interested in a particular subject.

xiii.         Victims: This is a person who has been affected attack, injured or killed as the result of a crime.  

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