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Hertage of Mathematics Education

Journal of Mathematics Education Student's Society of Nepal
September 2007, Issue 1. Year 1, pp 25-29

A Study of Student Achievement and Effect of Parents'

Education on Grade VIII Students in Mathematics

∗
Indra Kumari Bajracharya

Various experts of educationists define the achievement in

different ways. According to John W.H. Rothney -"Achievement is
defined as the whole sole learning in the end of course". John. E.
Horrocks explained accordingly- "Achievement is used to describe the
status or level of person's learning and his ability to apply what he has
learnt? Supper has defined the term as -achievement describe as what
and how much has been learned in a subject and what specific abilities
or skills have been developed". Similarly, the definitions given by some
other educationists are also very important. Those statements are
given below-Smith, Spencer and Helmirch defined the term in this way
- Achievement is the task-oriented behavior that allows individuals
performance to be evaluated. Freeman - A test designed to measure
knowledge, understanding and skill in a specified subject or group of
subjects. The purpose of achievement in education is to measure how
much has been learned in a subject and what specific abilities or skills
have been developed. So, the term denotes to the performance of
students, which is determined at the end of a course. The score of
students in the final examination can be taken as the performance or
achievement score. Knowledge attained or the test score usually
designates skill developed during school education or marks obtained
which are considered as the academic achievement (Good, 1959).
Achievement is something accomplished, especially by superior. A test
designed to measure the knowledge or proficiency of an individual in
something that has been learned or taught (Webster, 1098).

Ms Bajracharya is Lecture Mahendra Ratna Campus, Tahachal Kathmandu
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Though a series of variables influence the achievement level of

students in general, these variables are changeable in time and space.
Therefore, the achievement itself requires analysis during certain
interval of time.

One of the important variable is parent variable. Parents play

important role in the learning behaviour of children. Many researchers
have noted that the educational attainment of a child's parents is a
good predictor of the academic achievement of the child. Parents who
are, for instance, educated could be better equipped to help children
with their homework and the understanding of concepts than those
with less than a high school education, other things being equal.
Ecceles and Jacobs (1986) identified parents exert a more powerful and
more direct effect than teachers on children's' toward mathematics.
Generally, educated parents are more supportive of learning. They
provide their children with greater learning opportunities, assistance,
and pressure for learning. Ferguson (1991) posited that parental
education accounted for about twenty-four percent of the variance in
students test scores. Dave and Dave (1971) investigated the
relationship of parental education on cast with the academic
achievement. They found that higher percentages of rank holder
belong to homes with higher parental education where as a higher
percentage of failed students belong to those who have lower
parentage of failed students belong to those who have lower parental
education. Bridge et.al (1979) concluded that the achievement level of
a student in mathematics is directly proportional to the level of his
parents' education. Glasman and Binyamin (1981) concluded that the
in mathematics is directly proportional to the level of his parents'
education. In a study Dictata (1981) found that the positive relationship
between parents' education level and student achievement level.
White (1982) reported significant correlation between parental
education and mathematics achievement. Anick et.al (1981) also found
a clear positive relationship between parental education and
mathematics achievement. Neupane (2001) concluded that parent
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education contributes the ethnic students mathematics achievement in

his study mathematics achievement of grade V. Joshi (1997) identified
parent education positively contribute students mathematics
achievement of grade X students.
However no study has been conducted yet to see whether
qualification of parent influence student mathematics achievement in
lower secondary level. In other words, the question qualification of
parent is affected variables on student achievement remains still
unanswered yet. In this regard, this study, through small in nature,
provides a picture on achievement level of lower secondary school
students affected by parent qualification. Hence the main objective of
this study is to assess achievement level of students by qualification of
parent.

Study procedure

Since this study was based on achievement scores of grade VIII

students in 43 selected community and institulized schools of
Kathmandu valley, schools were selected proportionately of the total
number of school. Out of those sample schools, fifteen schools are
community lower and higher secondary schools and 28 schools are
institutional lower and higher secondary schools. From each group of
schools five students were selected randomly. Altogether 215
students and their parents were the sample of the study.

Mathematics Achievement tests with 64 full marks, which was

prepared and finalized by a study, whose reliability is claimed 0.90 in
her study was used in this study. The researcher visited the sample
schools and administered the test and distributed parent-interviewed
form. Parent-interviewed form consisted of two sections. First section
consisted of five items, which was concerned with student related
data such as name of the student; roll number, section, address of
school and name of the parents. In the section, there was two items
related to parent qualification. Scoring all the answer sheets and
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quantifying the parent qualification, in order to analyse obtain the

data were filled in SPSS 12 version program. With the helped of SPSS
program mean and standard deviation of achievement scores of each
group of students was calculated which are presented in Table 1 and
3 respectively. The result of ANOVA test, which is calculated to see
significant difference between the mean scores of four groups, is
presented in Table 2 and 4.

Data analysis and Interpretation

In order to analyses data was collected from parent interview

form, there were found different educational background parents. The
level of father and mother qualification was divided into accordingly –
literate (below SLC) group A, SLC equivalent passed group B, IA
equivalent passed group C and BA and above equivalent passed group
D. findings of the study are presented here under two sub – headings,
which are as follows:

1. Father qualification and student achievement

The four groups of students' descriptive data on father qualification is

given in table 1.

Table 1

Descriptive Information of Father Qualification

Std.
Groups N Mean Deviation
Group A 69 44.20 10.017
Group B 33 44.85 9.878
Group C 44 47.55 9.219
Group D 69 48.23 9.470

The above table 1 reveals that highest number of parents (69)

belonged to the group A and group D. Lowest number of parents
belong (33) to group B respectively. The average mathematics score of
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students, within the group A, group B, group C and group D of parents

were found to be 44.20, 44.85, 47.55 and 48.23 respectively. Though
students within the group D (highly qualified) parent groups obtained
highest scores, as shown in the above table. The difference between
mean of students within the group A and group B were very minimal,
i.e. 0.65. The children of group A (literate parents) stood last among
the four groups in obtaining mean score. The achievement level of
students belonged to the group D (highly qualified) parent group was
greater than the group B and group C of parents. Achievement level of
students of group D was found to be greater than the group C. The
highest variability was found in-group A and lowest variability was in-
group C. To determine the significance of mean scores one way ANOVA
was used.

Result of ANOVA and Discussion

Father Qualification and Student Achievement

The mean scores obtained by four different groups of students

differed from each other. To test the significance of these differences,
ANOVA test was performed. The F-ratio and its related values are given
in the following table 2.

Table: 2

F-ratio and Father Qualification and Student Achievement

Sources of Sum of Mean
Variance Squares df Square F Sig.
Between
698.655 3 232.885 2.495 .051
Groups
Within
19698.601 211 93.358
Groups
Total 20397.256 214

According to the above table, calculated F-ratio was 2.495, which

is significant at p = 0.051. It suggests that average mathematics
scores of those students whose parents were highly qualified their
children's achievement score was significantly higher than the other
groups. Hence, the result concludes that there is a positive relationship
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between educational level of qualification of parents and student

performance in mathematics. The result can be seen in the following
figure 1.
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Figure 1
Relation Between Father Qualification and Achievement Scores

The above graph shows that increase in educational qualification

of level of fathers obviously facilitates in increase mean achievement
scores. In other words, there is a positive relation between
achievement scores in mathematics and father qualification. Further, it
can be said that higher qualification of fathers motivates their children
to secure higher scores in mathematics.

2. Mother Qualification and Student Achievement

The four groups of students' descriptive data on mother

qualification is given in table 3.

Table 3

Descriptive information of Mother Qualification

Std.
Groups N Mean Deviation
Group A 113 44.63 9.414
Group B 50 46.02 10.881
Group C 14 46.36 8.554
Group D 38 51.50 8.006
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The above table 3 reveals that highest number of mothers (113)

belonged to the group A and 38 mothers were highly qualified group D.
Altogether 50 and 14 mothers were group B and group C. The average
mathematics score of students, within the group A, group B, group C
and group D of mothers were found to be 44.65, 46.02,46.36 and 51.50
respectively. Though students within the group D (highly qualified)
mother groups obtained highest scores and lowest mean scores
secured by group A. But highest variability was found in group B and
lowest in-group D. The children of literate mothers stood last among
the four groups in obtaining mean score. It indicates that achievement
level of students belonged to the highly qualified mother group D was
greater than the group A group B and group C of mothers. To
determine the significance of mean scores one way ANOVA was used.

Result of ANOVA and Discussion

Mother Qualification and Student Achievement

The mean scores obtained by four different groups of students
differed from each other. To test the significance of these differences,
ANOVA test was performed. The F-ratio and its related values are given
in the following table 4.

Table 4
F-ratio and mother Qualification and Student
Achievement

Sources of Sum of Mean

Variance Squares df Square F Sig.
Between
698.655 3 449.057 4.974 .002
Groups
Within Groups 19698.6
211 90.285
01
Total 20397.2
214
56
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According to the above table, calculated F-ratio was 4.974 which

is significant at p = 0.002. It suggests that average mathematics
scores of those students whose mothers were group D (highly
qualified) were significantly higher than the other groups of mother.
Hence, the results conclude that, there is a positive relationship
between educational qualifications of mothers and student
performance in mathematics. The result can be seen in the following
figure 2

Figure 2

Relation Between Mothers’ Qualification and Achievement

Scores

The above graph shows that increase in educational qualification

of level of mothers obviously helped the improved the mathematics
achievement. There is positive relation between achievement scores in
mathematics and mother qualification. Therefore it can be said that
higher qualification of mothers motivates their children to secure
higher scores in mathematics.

Conclusion
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Parent qualification is one of the important variables to affect

student achievement. It is an important component in student learning.
The lack of parents’ educational qualification has negative impact on
student achievement. They need to assist student at home and assess
educational needs of their children.

The result of this study shown, that highest number of mothers'

education level is under SLC qualification in order word literate. Lowest
mean score was obtained by the group A i.e. students who secured
least mean scores, their mother and father level of qualification is
under SLC. Highest mean score was obtained by the group D i.e.
students who secured highest mean score, their parents (father and
mother) level of qualification is MA or equivalent and above. The mean
and standard deviation of the test scores in mathematics achievement
was related to the parent qualification (father and mother). Level of
qualification of parent is increasing obliviously increasing students
mathematics. Therefore this study result conclude that student
achievement level also effect by parent qualification.

Recommendation

Educated parents need to be motivated in order to cooperate for

achieving higher achievements. Both the government and schools
need to focus on parent awareness programmes in education. It could
lead to better student achievement in mathematics.

References

1. Anick, C.M, Carpenter, T.P and smith (1981).

Minorities and Mathematics: Results from the National
Assessment of Educational Press. Mathematics Teacher, 74, 560-
566.

2. Best, John W. and James V. Kahn (2000).

Research in Education, New Delhi: Prentice Hall of India.
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3. Bridge, R.G. et.al.(1979), the Determinants

of Educational Out Comes: the Impact of Families, Peers,
Teachers and Schools, Ballinger: Cambridge, Massachusetts.

4. Dactata, A. (1981), Attainment during the

first three school years dependent on familys' socio-economic
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5. Dave, P.N and Dave J.P. (1971). Socio-

economic environment as related to the non-verbal intelligence
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6. Ecceles, J.S. and Jacobs, J.F. (1986) Social

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7. Ferguson, R. (1991). Paying for Public

Education: New Evidence of How and Why Money Matters,"
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8. Freeman, Frank S. (1962). Theory and

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11. Glasman N.S. and Biniaminov I, (1981).

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12. Joshi, Hemant. (1997). Determinants of

Mathematics Achievement Using Structural Equation Modeling,
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Ph. D. Dissertation, University of Alberta. Published (Pub No:

NQ23000).

13. Neupane, Shiva Ram. (2001). Mathematics

Achievement of Primary School Children of Various Ethnic Groups
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